Most financial execs know the importance of brand. But when a crisis hits, especially one involving leadership, brand becomes biography. And in the age of social media and search, how you respond (or don’t) can lock in public perception overnight.
In this second installment of our series on online reputation management, we’re looking at what happens when comms teams go quiet—and why the first 24 hours after a controversy can define your narrative for years to come.
When silence becomes the story
A reputation crisis doesn’t begin when headlines hit. It begins when you say nothing.
The first 24 hours after a viral incident, leadership misstep, or unexpected controversy will determine how your brand, and you, might be framed for years to come. If you’re not in the room narrating what happened, the internet will gladly take your place.
The Astronomer CEO scandal was a case study in how quickly personal conduct becomes institutional narrative. After CEO Andy Byron and HR Chief Kristin Cabot were caught on the Coldplay “kiss cam”, the moment exploded online, drawing millions of views, parody accounts, and a frenzy of speculation.
But the company said nothing. For more than a day, Astronomer stayed quiet as misinformation spread: fake apology letters circulated, jokes went viral, and employees learned about the scandal from social media, not internal comms. By the time a formal statement arrived, the public had already written its own version of the story.
Speed doesn’t mean sloppy
There’s a persistent myth in financial communications that it’s better to wait until “the facts are clear.” But in today’s media cycle, facts are often crowded out by impressions. The silence isn’t seen as prudence, it’s interpreted as evasion, disorganization, or worse.
This doesn’t mean overreacting or blaming. It means having a short, honest holding statement ready. Something like:
“We’re aware of the incident and reviewing the situation thoroughly. Out of respect for all parties involved, we’ll share more soon.”
That simple move can buy you credibility while you assess next steps, and it shows employees and stakeholders that leadership is awake.
What Astronomer teaches us
In a recent article from Vested, Managing Director Jacqueline Gogel unpacked the leadership failures behind Astronomer’s slow response.
- Delay breeds distortion: The longer you wait, the more room bad takes and falsehoods have to spread.
- Internal confusion erodes trust: When employees hear from Twitter before they hear from leadership, internal morale takes a hit that’s hard to recover.
- Neutrality isn’t weakness: Early statements don’t have to assign blame. They just need to acknowledge reality and express concern.
- Interim leaders can reset the tone: Pete DeJoy’s public comments after taking over as CEO were surprisingly effective—acknowledging the visibility, reinforcing mission, and reframing the moment as a catalyst for change.
How finance execs should prepare
You don’t need a scandal to need a playbook. Any financial institution, regardless of size, should have the following ready:
> Crisis holding statements pre-written for a variety of scenarios: leadership controversy, legal risk, data breach, public backlash.
> Internal comms first: Always communicate with your team before the public hears it elsewhere.
> Wikipedia strategy: As we discussed in Part 1, if your company or executives have entries, assign someone to monitor edits. Crises often trigger updates that become permanent unless addressed early.
> Executive training: Media coaching isn’t just for the PR team. Every leader should know how to respond in a high-stakes moment.
Crisis comms ≠ image control
Reputation management isn’t about hiding the truth. It’s about being the one who tells it first, clearly, and with integrity.
The mistake Astronomer made wasn’t the event itself. It was letting the public get there first, unfiltered and unanswered. In the age of deepfakes, screenshots, and social media watchdogs, every executive needs to assume that any private moment could become public, and plan accordingly.
Don’t wait for the wake-up call
If you’re reading this in a moment of calm, that’s the best time to act. Build your response library. Identify your spokespeople. Audit your bios, your Wikipedia page, and your press relationships.
Because once the storm hits, your only choice is whether you show up, or stay silent and let someone else write the legacy.