Featuring “Cold Call”: BrandBastion Mixes AI and Human Judgment to Build Trust at Scale

Today, we’re sharing an episode from Cold Call, the chart-topping management podcast from our colleagues at Harvard Business School.

Hosted by HBS Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Brian Kenny, Cold Call explores the real-world business case studies taught at HBS, with the professors who wrote them and often the executives and innovators who lived them. From the history of Hershey to today's biggest AI case studies, Cold Call breaks down the decisions, tradeoffs, and leadership lessons behind some of the most fascinating organizations.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from HBS assistant professor Julian De Freitas and BrandBastion co-founders, the case protagonists. Together, they discuss the AI-powered platform they built to help brands manage social media comment sections at scale, respond quickly to customers, and protect their reputation.

This conversation is especially compelling given the guests’ thoughtful consideration of when brands should step in and respond to customers online, and how organizations can make the case for investing in moderation.

To listen to more episodes, follow Cold Call on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts.