Seventy thousand five hundred twenty-one. 

That’s how many news stories included Andy Byron’s name after one juicy Jumbotron moment at a Coldplay concert. In this episode of The PR Breakdown, dissecting how a viral moment spiraled into a corporate PR disaster that exposed a CEO, an HR chief, and a total breakdown in communication control.

What made this story explode? Not just the video, but the silence that followed a hoax. 

Molly breaks down the viral ingredients:

• A real-life HR entanglement caught on camera
• Fake apologies and fake wife statements
• A tech company scrambling to fact-check a fake statement
• And a resignation that came too late to stop the damage

It’s a live case study in digital PR failure, and a warning for anyone who thinks “it will pass" is a good crisis response strategy in 2025.

Mentioned in the episode: 

• "Astronomer finally releases a statement." - @MollyBMcPherson, TikTok, July 17, 2025
• "When national television outlets ask for comment before the Novocaine wears off." - @MollyBMcPherson, TikTok, July 16, 2025
• "TikTok-famous PR strategist accurately predicts outcome of Coldplay CEO fiasco." - @MollyBMcPherson, TikTok, July 16, 2025
• TikTok-famous PR strategist accurately predicts outcome of Coldplay CEO fiasco - Fox News, July 19, 2025
• "Tell-tale signs for spotting a fake press or media statement.

If you work in strategy or communication, join Molly on December 17 at 12 PM ET for a 60-minute live media training that breaks down a crisis in real time. RFK Jr is being hit from two sides at once. Now Olivia Nuzzi’s memoir is out, weeks after Tatiana Schlossberg’s essay landed a punch. We'll walk through the headlines, the data, the sentiment, press coverage, then map out what a competent response would actually look like. Click here to attend. 

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