Astronomer’s kiss cam scandal goes viral and how the brand flipped a PR crisis into marketing momentum
Astronomer’s CEO scandal became global meme fodder and here’s how the brand responded with bold PR tactics
What do you do when your CEO becomes the internet’s favorite meme for all the wrong reasons?
That’s the question Astronomer, a US-based data workflow startup, had to answer after a viral kiss cam moment at a Coldplay concert put its leadership team in the spotlight. The now infamous clip, showing CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot awkwardly pulling away from each other when the camera found them, sparked a whirlwind of speculation, memes, and brand trendjacks.
This article explores how Astronomer handled the incident, what marketers can learn from its bold PR response, and why the drama around its CEO may have inadvertently supercharged brand awareness.
Short on time?
Here’s a table of contents for quick access:
- What happened at the Coldplay concert
- Social sentiment: public backlash, meme culture, and viral velocity
- Brand responses: 7 trendjacks that stole the moment
- Astronomer's PR playbook: resignation, humor, and a Gwyneth cameo
- What marketers should know
Atikah Amalia
What happened at the Coldplay concert
It all started on July 16 at Coldplay’s show in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot were caught on the venue’s jumbotron during a kiss cam segment.
But instead of a romantic moment, the pair pulled apart, prompting Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to joke, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.”
Social media had a field day. The awkward interaction quickly became a viral sensation on TikTok, X, and Instagram, with users speculating about the pair’s relationship. Attention snowballed after eagle-eyed viewers noticed Cabot had removed Byron’s last name from her social profiles. Rumors, memes, and hot takes flooded timelines.
The video had racked up more than 27 million views and set off a cascade of professional consequences.
Social sentiment: public backlash, meme culture, and viral velocity
According to CARMA, online sentiment surrounding Astronomer in the 30 days following the incident skewed negative (35.5%) with only 15.2% of conversations leaning positive.
While some users laughed it off, many expressed disapproval or criticized Byron’s behavior. Others speculated about career fallout, noting that Astronomer’s leaders may have crossed ethical lines, especially with HR involved.
The buzz extended beyond tech and business circles into mainstream meme culture, largely driven by viral accounts like Pop Base and Pop Crave. The drama also sparked broader conversations around workplace dynamics, executive behavior, and brand image, especially when scandal hits on a very public stage.
Brand responses: 7 trendjacks that stole the moment
Several savvy brands jumped on the kiss cam frenzy, turning Astronomer’s awkward moment into a canvas for cheeky, often brilliant marketing:
- Duolingo offered a faux “cheating tutorial” featuring its infamous green owl.
- Globe Air promoted a €98,500 private jet escape to Hawaii, tagging its own CEO for extra flair.
- Hulu used a Modern Family clip to echo the absurdity of kiss cam misfires.
- IKEA Singapore pushed cuddling plush toys as “drama-free” snuggle solutions.
- KTM Malaysia issued a PSA warning riders to keep it classy on public transport.
- Ministry of Defence Singapore compared fighter jet flyovers to HR drama.
- Pizza Hut Malaysia riffed on loyalty, "maybe he's just loyal to cheese.”
It was a textbook case of real-time trendjacking, with each brand adding a culturally relevant twist while staying on-message.
Astronomer's PR playbook
Rather than ignore the situation, Astronomer leaned in. The company announced the resignations of both Byron and Cabot while launching a self-aware PR campaign that culminated in a satirical video starring Gwyneth Paltrow.
In the 60-second spot posted to X, Paltrow, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin’s ex-wife, answers the internet’s “most common” questions about Astronomer. Her deadpan responses include: “Yes, Astronomer is the best place to run Apache Airflow,” and a cheeky nod to the viral moment: “We’re thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation.”
The clip has been viewed over 36.5 million times since it was posted on 26 July 2025.
According to CARMA, at its peak, the video generated 62.8K mentions across social platforms. Furthermore, sentiment around Astronomer shifted dramatically post-video, with 50.1% of conversations trending positive and only 8.8% negative. Many netizens found the choice of Paltrow, given her connection to Chris Martin, both amusing and incredibly on-brand, calling the campaign “clever,” “opportunistic,” and “one of the best PR saves of the year.”
PR expert Jordan Greenaway called the campaign “really clever,” noting that it shifted public focus from scandal to product. “You can't duck something this viral,” he said. “Jumping in with both feet is often the better strategy.”
Critically, Astronomer didn’t make light of the behavior itself. The company stressed its values, launched a formal investigation, and removed the executives in question. But it used the attention to educate people on what it actually does, data orchestration with Apache Airflow, and even claimed a reported 15,000% spike in website traffic.
What marketers should know
If you're managing a brand, this saga offers a crash course in crisis comms, opportunistic marketing, and corporate ethics. Here are four takeaways:
1. Viral moments demand a fast, flexible response
Astronomer’s PR team moved quickly from damage control to brand repositioning. In today’s media climate, the window for shaping narrative is short. Leaning into the chaos, smartly, can be more effective than avoiding it.
2. Humour works but only when you're not the offender
The Gwyneth video struck the right tone because it didn’t come from Byron. As Greenaway pointed out, humor is best reserved for bystanders or the brand itself, not those at the center of misconduct.
3. Memes move markets
This moment wasn’t just viral, it drove real traffic and visibility for Astronomer’s product. If your brand is unexpectedly in the spotlight, use it to educate. Make sure people leave the conversation knowing what you do.
4. Trendjacking is an art
Duolingo, IKEA, and others nailed the balance between relevance and restraint. If you’re jumping on a viral moment, ensure your content connects without cheapening your message.
Astronomer didn’t ask to go viral, but once it did, the company chose to steer the story instead of letting it spin out of control. The scandal may still affect individual careers, but as a brand, Astronomer has arguably emerged with more visibility than ever.
For marketers, the lesson is clear: when chaos strikes, don’t just react, reframe.
