It's the kiss that rang around the world. We all know the story. On July 16, 2025, during a sold-out Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the venue's jumbotron, or "kiss cam," panned to two concertgoers. The individuals were later identified as Andy Byron, the CEO of the data orchestration company Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the company's chief people officer.
Seeing the pair recoil in apparent shock—with Byron ducking out of the frame and Cabot shielding her face—Martin quipped to the stadium of 60,000 fans, "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy."
Famous last words indeed.
The fallout was swift. Byron had to resign and has been moved from the leadership page of Astronomer. While Cabot is still mentioned on the leadership page, her LinkedIn profile has been cleared of any data.
How the footage became an instant viral global phenomenon
The clip moved through TikTok, Reddit and from there to mainstream media news, supercharged by 'internet detectives' who tracked down the identity of the couple and the fact that they were married to other people.
At the same the digital environment became increasingly chaotic with the proliferation of memes, parody accounts, and a series of fake apology letters attributed to Andy Byron.
One piece of viral misinformation was a fabricated tweet from Coldplay's official account, announcing the creation of "camera-free sections for people and their side-pieces".
.As "Coldplaygate" saturated global digital channels, Indian brands and cultural figures were quick to join the conversation. Check out how.
Amul was among the first Indian brands to take the plunge with their iconic topical, playing off the famous Bollywood song, " Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Bandh Ho!". By swapping the word "kamra" (room) with "camera," Amul created a witty and instantly recognisable reference for its Indian audience, connecting the scandal to a shared piece of cinematic history. While some netizens found this low-brow humour, the fact is that it has over 400 shares on Facebook alone, with 56000 likes and almost 200,000 likes on Instagram.
Influencer Marketing: The Kartik Aaryan Recreation
A prominent example of the trend's adoption by individual creators came from Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan. He posted a viral Instagram Reel that recreated the moment with a humorous and self-deprecating twist. In the video, Aaryan is seen "cheating" on his strict fitness diet by eating a chocolate bar. What happens next? See the video.
Pop Culture Memes and Commentary
Indian pop culture also picked up the incident.
One notable meme recast the incident within the universe of the epic blockbuster film Baahubali. The meme depicted characters from the film with the caption, "CEO and HR of Maaahishmathi," humorously transposing the corporate scandal onto the fictional kingdom.
This demonstrates how the story's core elements—power dynamics, secrets, and public exposure—were universally understood and easily adapted into local cultural contexts.
The incident became a reference point in live entertainment. Renowned Indian musician AR Rahman, during a concert in Washington, paused to address the crowd as cameras panned across them, saying with a chuckle, "I won't get you into trouble. Don't worry".
The audience's immediate laughter and applause indicated a widespread understanding of the reference, confirming that "Coldplaygate" had become a shared cultural shorthand for the perils of being caught on camera.
Here is a useful list of how various brands riffed off Coldplaygate:
| Brand | Region/Country | Campaign Concept | Core Message/Tagline | Platform(s) | Strategic Angle |
| Amul | India | Cartoon topical ad | "Hum Tum Ek Camera Mein Bandh Ho! Only scoops, no oops!" | X | Culturally-Specific Commentary |
| Kartik Aaryan | India | Instagram Reel recreation | "Fitness freak...caught cheating on his diet" | Influencer Brand Building | |
| IKEA | Singapore | Cuddling stuffed toys | "Don't get caught... without these! Drama-free cuddles guaranteed. HR approved." | Product-as-Solution | |
| Tesla | Global | Analogy about car loyalty | "Posting a pic of you enjoying your loaner Tesla...is the equivalent of taking it to a Coldplay concert. Your car will know." | X | Witty Commentary & Analogy |
| Frido | Global/India | CEO photoshopped with pillow | "Bro could've just used our Cuddle Pillow and avoided all that embarrassment." | Social Media | Product-as-Solution |
| GlobeAir | Europe | Private jet escape plan | "The quickest escape after a Coldplay concert." | Product-as-Solution | |
| Hulu | US | Clip from Modern Family | Showcasing a character's own kiss cam mishap. | Social Media | Content Tie-in |
| LAMY | Global | Pen for signing divorce papers | "He doesn't know yet but on Monday he'll need a good pen to sign his divorce papers." | Witty Commentary & Analogy | |
| Nando's | Australia | Promotional email | "Want a little something on the side? Use promo code 'COLDPLAY'." | Promotional Offer | |
| Duolingo | Global | Tutorial on avoiding getting caught | A "lesson in cheating" featuring the brand's mascot. | Social Media | Witty Commentary & Analogy |
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