In a moment that almost broke the internet, a CEO and his HR head found themselves under the global microscope after being shown on the jumbotron screen at a Coldplay concert earlier this month. Their shocked and reflexive reaction, broadcast to the thousands of fans in the stadium and subsequently millions more online, triggered a media storm.
Jenny Griesel, Managing Director: Jenny Griesel Communications, examines what the Coldplay CEO scandal tells us about reputation in the digital age
Coldplay’s Chris Martin, as any performer might, made light of the moment and commented on what the crowd was already thinking.
But what unfolded next was anything but light. Within hours, the clip went viral, worldwide.
The identities of the two were quickly uncovered. Andy Byron, CEO of tech company Astronomer, was attending the concert with Kristin Cabot, the company’s head of HR.
Both are apparently in marriages. Just not with each other.
Why this moment hit such a nerve
What was it about this particular moment that caused it to spread so fast? Was it the awkwardness? The public discomfort? Or was it the salacious undertone of a hidden relationship being unintentionally revealed?
The reaction of the couple is what made it viral. Had they simply smiled and played along, it may have ended there. However, the panic in their faces and their jolted reaction sent a clear message to the crowd and, unfortunately for them, to the scandal-obsessed internet.
The social media machine and what it’s become
This incident says a lot about how we now perceive the world and our relationships with brands.
Social media has created a context where human interactions can be captured and broadcast to the world in seconds.
There is no filter, no pause and no context. Just relentless voyeurism and instant sensationalism.
We used to expect accountability from our politicians and public figures via our legacy media. Now, that same level of scrutiny is being applied to anyone and everyone.
Whether you are a leader, a public figure, or just the guy next door, in the wrong place at the wrong time, your private life can become a public headline in a matter of minutes.
And just like that, it’s connected back to the brand you work for, and the world demands answers from the company.
How the PR response played out
Looking at the PR response here, the company’s first public statement was uninspiring.
It leaned into tired language about values and standards and left people with more questions than answers. It felt overly cautious and lacked the human touch that is needed in a situation like this.
The reference to an internal investigation only added confusion. What exactly was being investigated? What will be shared with the public?
It was a case of trying to say something without actually saying anything. Later, once the new CEO had stepped in, the response improved.
Pete DeJoy’s statement was more grounded. He acknowledged that the company had been through difficult times before and reminded everyone that Astronomer’s mission was built on the work of many, not the mistakes of one.
He reminded them of their ability to pivot in tough times and their solutions-oriented mindset. It was simple, clear and sincere.
A good PR response
That is what a good PR response looks like. Not spin, not jargon, just calm leadership in a messy moment.
Astronomer then went on to hire Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin’s ex-wife. In a tongue-in-cheek video, she dryly introduced herself as speaking on behalf of the company's 300-plus employees, deflected questions about the viral scandal, and cleverly highlighted Astronomer's AI/data pipeline services and upcoming conference.
This highly creative and savvy PR tactic leveraged her past connection to Coldplay’s frontman for comic irony while shifting the narrative back to the company’s core business.
It also sent a powerful message to the world that while they don’t take themselves too seriously, their core focus remains on their work. Genius!
What should we be learning from this?
There are a few clear PR (and life) lessons here.
- The world is much smaller than we think. What happens in a concert stadium can reach a global audience before the song even ends. There is no such thing as having a public self and a private self anymore. You are one person. Read that again. The way you behave after hours can affect your career quickly.
- We need to revisit what integrity means. It is not just about doing the right thing at work. It is about your values in all areas of your life being aligned, even those that drive how you act when you think no one is watching. If there is a disconnect, that crack will eventually show.
- For companies, it means being ready to deal with fallouts that start outside the office. When team members (particularly, but not only those in senior leadership roles) behave questionably, even in their personal time, there will be a reputational effect. Brands need to be ready to respond in a level-headed way, with a human touch. People believe in people, and when you show true leadership, people feel it.
For the rest of us…And for the rest of us, there is a choice to make.
Do we click, share and mock without thinking? Or do we pause and remember that behind every clip is a real life, a family, often involving children, a situation that is probably far more painful than it is funny?
And perhaps most importantly, what role are each of us playing in feeding the social media monster that we have created?
If we are all now part of the media, what standards are we prepared to apply to ourselves?
