Outlasting the gossip: Why Astronomer doesn't need to kiss its reputation goodbye

We've all read the news, seen the memes and brand hijacks and discussed the situation over lunch with our friends and colleagues, but with the dust now settling around the Coldplay kiss cam debacle, the real work for Astronomer (the company which had its CEO and HR chief in embrace at the concert) begins.

When the face of a company becomes the face of a scandal, the damage rarely stays personal. In such a situation, companies need to play the long game to prove they can outlast the gossip. To date, Astronomer put up a statement on LinkedIn that it “is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding” and confirmed that its board has launched a formal investigation. The company stressed “no other employees were in the video” and “reports that CEO Andy Byron has issued any statement are incorrect.”

Astronomer's statement was clear and crisp, but most importantly, the statement needs to be backed by clear action. To rebuild the relationship, it is important for the brand to not just put out a PR spin but have proof of purpose. With Byron's departure, this sets the wheels in motion. 

According to Shouvik Prasanna Mukherjee, EVP global creative innovation, chief creator officer, Asia Pacific at Golin the worst mistake a brand can make in a situation such as this is to put out empty mission statements. Instead, the company should focus on launching initiatives that make its values impossible to ignore.

He stressed that the best way to win back trust is to spotlight the people and results that prove the brand’s values still hold. “Turn your spotlight on the people who embody your brand every day - employees, customers, communities. These voices carry more weight than any executive statement. Let them tell your story while you stay focused on delivering results,” Mukherjee said.

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Additionally, timing too, matters. Stakeholders can smell panic PR from a mile away. As such, it is better to wait until the news cycle moves on than to shove a forced redemption story into the spotlight.

When the dust settles, proving that the company is bigger than any single leader is non-negotiable. “Make it clear the company is bigger than any one person. Showcase your leadership team. Elevate your governance. Trust isn’t rebuilt with apologies - it’s rebuilt with proof," he said.

Agreeing with Mukherjee is Ashvin Anamalai, chief executive officer at DNA Creative Communications, who said that when the spectacle fades, the only way forward is to remind the public what the company really does and why that matters more than a scandal. 

The takeaway, he said, is to pivot with humility and clarity - not with another PR spin. “Give people something better to talk about. A product drop, a company initiative, a bold campaign that says, ‘Yes, we’re still here - and still doing the work.’"

Anamalai added:

Just don’t try to force-feed a redemption arc. Let authenticity lead. And remember, the internet’s memory is short, but receipts are forever.

Consistency is also key, added Mayda Jutahkiti, managing director of Elliot & Co. Singapore. “Once the initial crisis is contained, consistent and values-driven communication is key," she said. Sharing the example of Grab, she said the brand has weathered reputational bumps but its continued focus on social impact and platform safety helped recalibrate public attention back to its mission.

Don’t forget your internal people

While the gossip mills, public sentiments and crisis headlines continue, the audience that matters just as much, if not more, is the one inside the building. When a CEO’s private choices become public fodder, employees are often the first to feel the shockwaves and the last to get straight answers if comms misfires.

Jutahkiti warns that the rumour mill can do more damage than any viral headline if leaders fail to communicate openly with their own people. “Employees often hear rumours before the full story breaks, so proactive internal updates - even brief ones - help reduce anxiety and speculation,” she said.

However, internal comms isn’t just about issuing a one-off memo. It’s about showing real human empathy and giving staff reasons to trust leadership’s next move. Jutahkiti points to how DBS Bank’s CEO Piyush Gupta directly addressed employees during a major tech crisis, took responsibility, and laid out clear next steps - an approach that didn’t just patch up operations, but reinforced morale and credibility when trust was fragile.

Moreover, the internal tone must be professional and grounded in facts, not spin, said Charu Srivastava, founder of Trion & Co. “Firstly, the organisation should investigate and determine what the consequences are for the executive. Based on this, the company should determine the stand they take in the matter," explained Srivastava. This then guides how and what they communicate - both internally and externally.

For employees watching closely, what happens behind closed doors says more than any press release and it sets the tone for whether they still trust the company to live its own values.  When internal trust fractures, especially if senior leaders such as the CEO or HR head are implicated, employees need more than warm words. They need safe channels to speak up and be heard. 

This, said Joey Gan, regional vice president, PRecious Communications, is where many companies get wrong. More often than not, companies prioritise external reputation but overlook the fear and confusion that can grow inside when people feel they can't trust official channels. 

She added:

Keep it honest, human, and consistent. Employees don’t expect perfection, but they expect transparency.

However, Gan’s warning goes deeper. If the crisis exposes gaps at the top such as when HR is part of the fallout, employees often won’t feel safe reporting concerns through the usual chain. In those moments, brands must back up their talk of integrity with actual systems that protect people, not just the corporate image.

“That’s why in large organisations, it’s crucial to have a neutral, independent channel - whether that’s an ethics committee, ombuds group, or external hotline. Somewhere staff can go, especially when internal power structures fail. Internal trust isn’t automatic - it has to be rebuilt through systems that protect people, not just reputations,” Gan said.

Join us on 20 August at PR Asia 2025 and take charge of the new era of PR. Tackle trust head-on, stay ahead of shifting policies, and harness AI to power up your comms game. Get inspired, get connected, and get future-ready. 

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