Recommendations of the Editorial team
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR manager Kristin Cabot are officially the first people who have to fear consumer sequences professionally because of the visit of a Coldplay concert. The two were shown in an intimate hug on Wednesday evening during the band’s show in Boston on the Jumbootron screen. Which unintentionally became a viral, public outing of her apparently running affair on Thursday morning.
Board leads the investigation
On Friday, Astronomer published an explanation in which it was announced that the company’s board of directors “initiated a formal investigation of this matter, and we will shortly announce further information”, and added: “Astronomers have been up to the values and corporate culture, which have been leading us since our foundation. Our managers have the task of being role models both in behavior and responsibility.”
According to Axios, both Byron and Cabot were on leave with immediate effect. Axios also reports that Astronomers delayed the publication of his public statement, since “byon’s resignation and the negotiations on his severance payments suffer”.
The couple was surprised when their hug was broadcast in front of over 50,000 people in the Gillette Stadium. Her immediate reaction – ducking and hiding from the camera – only seemed more suspicious. Even Coldplay front man Chris Martin noted that something was wrong. “Either they have an affair or they are just very shy,” he joked from the stage.
No statements, no clarity
None of the parties involved – not even Martin – commented on the incident. Astronomers confirmed that Byron “did not give an explanation” and added: “All other reports are wrong.” In addition, the company made it clear that no other employees could be seen in the viral clip after internet detectives about LinkedIn wanted to identify another woman in the picture. “Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event,” the explanation said.
To make things worse only minimally: the moment that all of this triggered did not even occur during a real Coldplay song. At every concert, Martin plays “The Jumbootron Song”, an improvised song about the people who can be seen on the camera. Then he goes into a more soulful moment with “Fix you”. Good luck when repairing this moment.