In today’s hyperconnected digital landscape, PR crises can erupt and spread at lightning speed, turning minor missteps into major brand catastrophes within hours. While many companies stumble when faced with unexpected scandals, a number of savvy brands have managed to strategically ‘lean into’ their PR disasters and transform potential reputation killers into powerful opportunities for buzz and brand strengthening.
The recent Coldplay Kiss Cam incident involving high-level executives from data workflow company Astronomer is just the most recent example that perfectly illustrates this approach to crisis management.
The Coldplay Kiss Cam Catapult: Astronomer’s Bold Move
Background and Immediate Fallout
In July 2025, what began as an innocent night out at a Coldplay concert turned into a full-blown corporate scandal for tech company Astronomer. The company found itself launched into the public eye after its CEO, Andy Byron, was spotted on a Jumbotron video at a Coldplay concert embracing an employee, specifically, Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot (with strong indications of an extramarital affair).
The consequences were swift. Astronomer announced that Byron had been placed on leave, triggering a formal investigation. Within days, both executives resigned: Byron’s resignation came a day after the company placed him on leave, and Kristin Cabot resigned days after.
However, the crisis had an unexpected silver lining. The relatively obscure data workflow automation company became a household name overnight, with reports indicating a massive spike in website visits as curious internet users flocked to learn more about the company behind the viral moment.
The Gwyneth Paltrow Pivot
Rather than retreating into corporate damage control mode, Astronomer made a bold strategic decision that would become a masterclass in crisis communication. The company enlisted Hollywood actor and lifestyle business mogul Gwyneth Paltrow to act as a temporary spokesperson in a 60-second promotional video that addressed the scandal with remarkable cleverness and irony.
The casting choice was nothing short of genius: Gwyneth Paltrow (Coldplay lead singer, Chris Martin’s ex-wife) delivered a perfectly sarcastic response to the Coldplay-related scandal. The video humorously sidestepped direct references to the kiss cam incident, instead redirecting attention to Astronomer’s core business of data workflow automation and its technical capabilities.
The creative work was produced by Maximum Effort, fellow Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds’ ad agency known for its humorous and self-aware marketing campaigns. This partnership brought additional viral potential to the campaign, leveraging Reynolds’ reputation for witty, unconventional advertising approaches.
A ‘Masterclass’ with Caveats
The response generated immediate positive reception from marketing experts and the public alike. The approach successfully helped Astronomer rehabilitate its image, shifting public focus from the personal scandal to the company’s professional services and boosting brand awareness without harming product quality perceptions.
The video achieved remarkable viral success, garnering millions of views across platforms and transforming what could have been a reputation-destroying crisis into a brand-building opportunity. However, experts also noted important caveats: the initial 52 hours of silence were damaging, and star power alone doesn’t address underlying structural issues.
Long-term success will require follow-up actions, including executive accountability and potential policy reforms to prevent similar incidents. While the former CEO might need to be looking for a career change, overall, the event seems to be a net positive for the brand itself.
When Humor and Humility Hit the Mark: Five Brands That Leaned In
Astronomer aren’t the only brand that has deflected disaster by leaning into the crisis itself. Here are some of the best examples of this risky approach to crisis management.
KFC’s ‘FCK’ Up
In 2018, KFC faced an unprecedented crisis when most of its UK & Ireland restaurants ran out of chicken due to delivery delays. Rather than hiding behind corporate speak, KFC’s PR team rolled out brilliant newspaper ads that rearranged the iconic KFC letters to spell ‘FCK’ on their signature bucket, accompanied by an honest acknowledgment of their mistake.
The company maintained a dedicated website page updating customers on chicken availability status and actively responded to frustrated customers on social media with humor and transparency.
This swift, brand-consistent response showcased genuine humility and authenticity, transforming public frustration into admiration for their candidness. The campaign demonstrated that owning mistakes completely, with appropriate humor, can actually strengthen customer loyalty.
California Pizza Kitchen’s TikTok Turnaround
In 2024, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) found itself at the center of a viral TikTok controversy when a customer’s video showed dissatisfaction after CPK insisted a mac’n’cheese order without mac was correct. The video gained millions of views and harsh criticism of the restaurant’s customer service.
CPK’s response was textbook crisis management for the social media age. They met the criticism head-on with an engaging, humorous TikTok video featuring ‘Chef Paul’ that acknowledged the absurdity of the situation. The company then surprised the original customer with free mac’n’cheese and pizza for a year, turning a detractor into a brand advocate.
CPK ‘read the room’ and responded quickly on the same platform where the crisis unfolded, which transformed a negative viral moment into content that reignited brand energy and generated widespread public affection.
Tide Pods’ Trend Tackling
When teenagers began participating in the dangerous ‘Tide Pod Challenge’, filming themselves eating laundry detergent, Tide’s parent company Procter & Gamble faced a crisis that threatened both public safety and brand reputation.
Their response was swift and strategic. They recruited NFL player Rob Gronkowski for a humorous yet direct public service announcement emphasizing that Tide Pods are ‘for laundry only’. The company also worked with social media platforms to remove challenge videos/.
This tailored response, using celebrity and influencer appeal while focusing on earned media rather than heavy social advertising, effectively delivered safety warnings while weathering subsequent memes. The campaign successfully balanced humor with serious safety messaging, helping mitigate the dangerous trend while protecting the brand.
Crockpot’s ‘This is Us’ Scare
When the popular TV show ‘This is Us’ featured a house fire caused by a slow-cooker, public fear about Crockpot products surged, with many customers expressing concerns about product safety on social media.
Crockpot’s response was immediate and comprehensive. The company promptly created a dedicated Twitter account (@CrockPotCares) to directly address consumer fears, emphasizing their rigorous safety testing protocols and decades-long safety record. NBC, the show’s network, also aired a clarifying advertisement before the Super Bowl to clear Crockpot’s name.
This coordinated response between Crockpot and NBC, directly addressing the fictional threat with factual information, successfully reassured consumers and prevented mass product abandonment.
Burger King UK’s International Women’s Day Misstep: A Swift Apology
In March 2021, Burger King UK tweeted ‘Women belong in the kitchen’ on International Women’s Day as part of a campaign highlighting female chefs, but the message was widely perceived as tone-deaf and offensive without proper context, sparking immediate outrage across social media.
The company’s response was remarkably swift: they quickly deleted the offending tweet and issued a formal, unequivocal apology. While the initial campaign concept had merit, the execution failed to consider how the message would be received in isolation on social media feeds.
This rapid acknowledgment and retraction demonstrated accountability and helped mitigate further backlash. The incident became a textbook example of how quick, decisive action can prevent a PR misstep from becoming a prolonged crisis.
Crafting a Comeback: Best Practices for Leaning into PR Disasters
Speed and Transparency: The Core Pillars of Crisis Response
Timeliness remains paramount in crisis management. When scandals break, silence allows others to control the narrative and breeds public distrust. Companies must acknowledge issues promptly, even if comprehensive statements require more preparation time. The initial response should demonstrate awareness and concern while buying time for thorough investigation.
Transparency and honesty form the foundation of credible crisis communication. Attempting to obscure facts or mislead audiences will inevitably backfire when the full truth emerges, as it invariably does in our interconnected world. Companies that embrace radical transparency, like KFC’s honest admission of their operational failure, often emerge stronger from crises.
Choosing Your Channel and Tone: Connecting Authentically
Modern crisis communication requires meeting audiences where they naturally gather and consume information. Traditional press releases alone are insufficient when news breaks and spreads primarily on social media platforms. Companies must tailor response formats and choose platforms strategically: TikTok for viral TikTok issues, Twitter for real-time updates, and video content for more nuanced messaging.
Cultural fluency and emotional intelligence are crucial for resonating with contemporary audiences. Robotic, defensive corporate statements fall flat with consumers who value authenticity and relatability. The most successful crisis responses demonstrate genuine human understanding and empathy, speaking to audiences as people rather than market segments.
The Power of Self-Awareness: Acknowledging and Redirecting the Narrative
Strategic self-deprecation can be remarkably powerful when executed thoughtfully. Brands that demonstrate the ability to laugh at themselves, like Astronomer’s Gwyneth Paltrow campaign or KFC’s ‘FCK’ admission, appear more authentic and relatable. This approach can defuse public anger by acknowledging mistakes without defensiveness.
While companies cannot control every aspect of public discourse about their brands, they can significantly influence narrative direction by redirecting focus toward core values, positive contributions, or corrective actions. Successful crisis management involves narrative control rather than narrative suppression, guiding conversations rather than attempting to silence them.
Beyond the Buzz: Backing Creativity with Concrete Action
Creative responses and viral moments alone cannot sustain long-term reputation recovery. Effective crisis management requires layering clever messaging with substantial corrective actions. This might include customer compensation, policy changes, executive accountability, or systemic reforms that address underlying issues.
Consistently prioritizing customer wellbeing over short-term profit considerations is a hallmark of sustainable crisis management. Companies that demonstrate genuine concern for stakeholder welfare, rather than just damage control, build lasting trust that extends far beyond individual crisis moments.
Conclusion
While crises are inevitable in today’s hyperconnected business environment, strategic and authentic responses can transform these challenges into opportunities for brand growth, customer loyalty, and organizational resilience. The most successful approaches combine timely, honest communication with self-aware creativity, backed by concrete corrective actions that demonstrate genuine commitment to stakeholder welfare. When executed skillfully, today’s kiss-cam-moment can indeed become tomorrow’s social buzz, turning potential disasters into powerful demonstrations of brand character and corporate responsibility.
