Advertising
Kiss Cam Chaos Turns Into PR Gold as Gwyneth Paltrow Joins Astronomer After Viral Video Scandal
As for what happens next? That might depend on how many more kiss cams go corporate—and whether Gwyneth Paltrow picks up any more surprise tech gigs, but guess only if Coldplay creates an opening?
What started as an awkward moment on a Coldplay concert kiss cam has turned into one of the most talked-about corporate pivots of the year—complete with Gwyneth Paltrow as the surprise face of the fallout. Astronomer, a New York–based data company specializing in Apache Airflow workflow automation, made headlines after a video from the July 16 concert went viral. In it, the company’s CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot were caught on the kiss cam, appearing uncomfortable and concealing their faces.
Their visible panic and refusal to acknowledge the camera led Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to joke, “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”
The internet swiftly got to sleuthing, and within hours, the pair of Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot had been identified and scrutinized. By July 19, Byron had resigned from his role, and Cabot followed suit on July 25, according to official company statements. Astronomer announced it was conducting an internal investigation and emphasized its commitment to “leadership accountability.”
But in a surprising—and arguably brilliant—turn, Astronomer didn’t retreat from the spotlight. Instead, it hired Gwyneth Paltrow as a temporary spokesperson for Astronomer, turning a PR disaster into a high-visibility marketing moment.
In a short, polished social media video released Friday, Paltrow addressed the firestorm with trademark charm and a dash of irony. “Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common ones,” she said, flashing a wink. She quickly pivoted to tech talk: “Yes, Astronomer is the best place to run Apache Airflow.”
For longtime Gwyneth Paltrow followers, the move is especially juicy: she famously “consciously uncoupled” from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin in 2014. Now, she’s connected to yet another Coldplay moment—only this one involves data pipelines and executive exits.
View this post on Instagram
Gwyneth Paltrow continued the bit with tongue-in-cheek interruptions to redirect attention to the Astronomer’s upcoming September conference and to reaffirm the company’s mission. “We will now be returning to what we do best—delivering game-changing results for our customers,” she said in closing.
The stunt has sparked fresh conversation across social media, with some hailing Astronomer’s marketing pivot as “legendary damage control” and others questioning the use of celebrity to deflect from real HR concerns.
Liam Gallagher Blasts Coldplay’s Viral Kiss Cam Scandal: “We Don’t Do That Snidey S*”**
Still, one thing is certain: Astronomer has turned an embarrassing viral moment into a high-profile opportunity, capitalizing on the public’s short attention span and love for celebrity satire. With their new spokesperson leading the charge, the company may just have flipped a scandal into the spotlight.
As for what happens next? That might depend on how many more kiss cams go corporate—and whether Gwyneth Paltrow picks up any more surprise tech gigs, but only if Coldplay creates an opening?
