The video was just 15 seconds long, but the fallout has stretched much further.
A now-viral clip of Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his company’s chief people officer Kristin Cabot in an embrace at a Coldplay concert has triggered public scrutiny, a resignation, and a reputational crisis that experts say isn’t over yet.
While Byron’s resignation may have drawn a line under his formal role, communications professionals argue it’s not enough. The bigger issue, they say, is what hasn’t been said.
“They need to own what happened”
Neil Shoebridge, principal at Shoebridge Knowles Media Group (SKMG), says Byron and Cabot have so far sidestepped the most effective step they could take: addressing the fallout directly.
“Andy Byron’s resignation from Astronomer will take some of the heat out of the controversy, but not all of it,” Shoebridge told Mediaweek. “He and Kristin Cabot are still not taking the most obvious and sensible step. They need to own what happened. As of yesterday morning, neither had issued a statement apologising to their staff, other stakeholders and their partners.”
Shoebridge says that while viral videos can’t be pulled back, the response still matters, particularly when reputations are on the line. “Social media is having a lot of fun with the hapless couple and they can’t control that. What they can control is the damage to their reputations… well, they can at least try to contain it.”
Media professor Catherine Lumby from The University of Sydney agreed, reflecting on the scale of the story’s spread. “It’s very hard to get that toothpaste back in the tube once it’s out,” she told ABC News Channel. “This is well beyond just brand management and reputation management in its traditional sense. Social media can pick something up and it’s like a tsunami once it takes hold.”
A swift board response, but unanswered questions remain
Veteran corporate communications consultant Robyn Sefiani told Mediaweek the Astronomer board acted quickly, but the nature of this particular crisis, and how it unfolded, was unlike anything she’s seen before.
“In three decades of crisis management and observation I’ve never before seen a crisis trigger incident like the one the world saw at the Coldplay concert,” Sefiani said. “While concertgoers, the band and 100 million video-clip viewers may have been amused, the couple’s shock spoke volumes.”
Sefiani noted that the human impact, particularly on families, should not be overlooked. “The human aspect of this crisis and family relationships is the priority now. Sadly, families will be hurting. And the whole world is watching,” she said.
She added that the CEO’s prompt resignation was “the right thing to do” following the board’s investigation. “I envisage he will issue a statement of regret and apology soon. As the couple’s shock on discovery indicates they had not disclosed their relationship to the company, and the HR executive more than anyone should be aware of workplace policies, her position now appears untenable.” While the board did not ask Kristin Cabot to stand down, Sefiani said, “her resignation seems inevitable.” However, “unlike the CEO… she does not need to issue a public statement.”
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his company’s chief people officer Kristin Cabot
TikTok virality meets workplace scrutiny
The incident began at a Massachusetts Coldplay concert, where a venue camera captured Byron and Cabot mid-embrace.
Projected onto the big screen and later uploaded to TikTok by concertgoer Grace Springer, the clip took off. More than 100 million views and millions of comments later, Astronomer confirmed Byron had been placed on leave, before announcing his resignation.
Cabot, meanwhile, remains in her position, and no public comment has been issued by either executive.
As Shoebridge warned, “The current firestorm will fade, but it will live forever online. If someone searches for ‘Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot’ in a few months and doesn’t find a contrite and honest apology from both of them, the damage will roll on.”