BOSTON (AP) — The tech company Astronomer is attempting to navigate the fallout from a recent controversy involving its former CEO, who resigned after being caught on the KissCam at a Coldplay concert. During this unexpected moment, CEO Andy Byron was seen embracing a woman who was not his wife, leading to significant media attention and public scrutiny.
In a strategic move to move past the drama, Astronomer has enlisted the help of actress Gwyneth Paltrow. Paltrow, who was married to Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin for 13 years, announced on Friday via social media platform X that she would serve as a spokesperson for the company. Her connection to the band adds a unique layer to her role.
The controversy began when two executives from Astronomer were unexpectedly caught on camera during a Coldplay concert, embracing each other intimately. The moment was broadcast on a large screen in the stadium, drawing laughter from the audience. Chris Martin jokingly remarked, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” as the couple attempted to conceal their faces.
In a subsequent video, Paltrow addressed the situation, stating she had been brought on board as a “very temporary” spokesperson for Astronomer. “Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common ones,” she explained with a smile, sidestepping any mention of the KissCam incident.
Paltrow emphasized that the company was eager to return to its core mission: “We’ve been thrilled that so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation,” she stated. “We will now be returning to what we do best — delivering game-changing results for our customers.” This statement reflects Astronomer's commitment to refocusing on its business objectives amidst the public relations challenge.
Following the viral spread of the KissCam footage, which caught many off guard, it took some time for the identities of the couple to be confirmed. Once Astronomer identified Byron and human resource executive Kristin Cabot, Byron resigned, and Cabot soon followed suit. The incident quickly sparked a wave of memes, parody videos, and screenshots of the couple’s surprised expressions flooding social media platforms.
Interestingly, the aftermath of the KissCam video also had an unexpected effect on Coldplay’s music. According to data from Luminate, an industry analytics company, online streaming of Coldplay’s songs surged by 20% in the days following the video's viral moment, indicating that public interest in the band and its music had been reignited.
As Astronomer works to recover from the backlash surrounding the KissCam incident, the hiring of Gwyneth Paltrow may prove to be a strategic move. With her ties to Coldplay and a fresh perspective, Paltrow aims to steer the conversation back to the company’s strengths in data workflow automation and customer service.
