Amid the fallout from the viral Coldplay kiss-cam incident, interim CEO Pete DeJoy admits the attention has turned Astronomer into a household name.

From Scandal to Spotlight

July 21, 2025: Astronomer’s interim CEO, co-founder Pete DeJoy, has addressed the unexpected upside of the recent Coldplay kiss-cam scandal involving former CEO Andy Byron and HR chief Kristin Cabot: unprecedented brand recognition. In a candid LinkedIn post, he noted that the incident—the duo theatrically reacting as Chris Martin teased them with “either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy”—has made Astronomer “a household name.”

A Strange Turn for a Data Firm

What started as viral humiliation swiftly transformed into corporate visibility. Following the scandal, Byron resigned and Cosmo co‑founder DeJoy stepped in as interim leader. Rather than deflect, he acknowledged the silver lining: the spotlight on Astronomer’s DataOps and AI mission is now brighter than ever.

Reinforcing Core Values

In the same statement, DeJoy reinforced the company’s commitment to ethics, customer trust, and solid culture—stressing that, while the incident was unplanned, it hasn’t shaken their foundational strengths. He assured stakeholders that Astronomer remains fully operational and focused.

Unintended Branding Strategy?

Media outlets agree: what began as a scandal is now an unconventional marketing campaign. Whether it’s memes, TikToks, or late-night jokes, Astronomer’s name is plastered across the digital landscape. And while no CEO wants that kind of attention, DeJoy appears to be making the most of it.

What started as a cringe-worthy moment on a stadium jumbotron unexpectedly turned into a visibility boost for Astronomer. While the company navigates leadership change and public attention, its interim CEO is owning the moment—and redirecting the spotlight back on their mission.