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Astronomer's 'clever' PR move embracing CEO scandal - featuring Gwyneth Paltrow

July 27, 2025

Astronomer, a US tech firm, released a humorous promotional video featuring Gwyneth Paltrow after its CEO and chief people officer resigned following a viral incident where they were caught embracing at a Coldplay concert. In the 60-second clip, which has garnered over 27 million views, Paltrow cleverly redirects attention to the company's data workflow automation services while acknowledging the viral scandal. PR expert Jordan Greenaway praised the strategy as an effective way to build brand awareness beyond the scandal, noting that since the incident didn't impact their product quality, the company could appropriately use humor in its response.

Who is affected

  • Astronomer, the US tech firm whose reputation was impacted by the viral incident
  • Andy Byron (former CEO) and Kristin Cabot (former chief people officer) who resigned
  • Astronomer's employees and social media team dealing with the viral attention
  • Astronomer's customers and potential clients
  • Pete DeJoy, co-founder and chief product officer, now appointed as interim CEO

What action is being taken

  • Astronomer is releasing a promotional video featuring Gwyneth Paltrow to redirect attention to their services
  • The company is emphasizing its core business of data workflow automation and Apache Airflow
  • Astronomer has appointed Pete DeJoy as interim CEO
  • The company is leveraging the unexpected publicity to create brand awareness
  • Astronomer is maintaining its commitment to its values and culture according to their statement on X

Why it matters

  • The scandal created massive publicity for Astronomer with the viral video being viewed millions of times
  • The company experienced a reported 15,000% spike in website visits
  • The incident has made Astronomer "a household name" according to the interim CEO
  • The company's strategic response demonstrates how organizations can navigate public relations crises
  • PR expert Greenaway notes that this type of scandal doesn't affect product quality, allowing for a more flexible response compared to incidents that would damage consumer trust

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC