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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. PR lessons from the fake "Andy Byron" and "Megyn Byron" statements." - @MollyBMcPherson, TikTok, July 22, 2025
Want More Behind the Breakdown?
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Chapters
1. Andy Byron's Viral Coldplay Moment (00:00:00)
2. Crisis Management and Delayed Response (00:03:31)
3. Inside Connections and Hair Salon Revelations (00:06:22)
4. Fake Statements and Corporate Missteps (00:09:04)
5. Lessons from a Real-Time PR Disaster (00:12:50)
6. The Reaction Cycle and Closing Thoughts (00:16:09)
345 episodes
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