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Hello, and welcome to this month’s Reputation Digest, where Fire on the Hill delivers a run-down of the latest stories making waves in the communications sector. This month, an alleged affair is put in the spotlight, a holiday ad goes viral, and the MasterChef debacle continues.
‘Nothing beats a Jet2Holiday’
You know it. You probably hate it. You almost definitely can’t stop singing it. The Jet2 Holidays jingle—yes, the one with Jess Glynne’s 2015 hit ‘Hold My Hand’—has become TikTok’s latest unexpectedly viral sound of the summer.
Originally designed as a catchy tag for the holiday brand’s TV adverts and pre-flight boarding music, the jingle has snowballed into a cultural phenomenon. So far, over 1.4 million videos have been uploaded to the sound, many of which have garnered tens of millions of views. Even Jeff Goldblum is on the action, with the ‘Jeff2’ holiday!
This may appear to be a marketing dream, but there’s a catch – users are pairing the upbeat anthem with videos of holidays going catastrophically wrong: cancelled flights, sunburns, broken-down buses, rain-soaked resorts, and one particularly memorable clip of a suitcase tumbling down an airport escalator.
Jet2 has seen a significant uptick in brand recall, especially among younger demographics who rarely interact with traditional holiday package providers. But this has come at a price. Whether this is still a win may depend on whether the saying that ‘all publicity is good publicity’ is true.
However, one thing is clear: once something goes viral, there’s no way to erase it from the internet – something that Jet2 Holiday’s PR team clearly knows very well. In a smart move, the company’s TikTok page has joined in on the fun, with its own spin on the viral trend receiving significant engagement.
MasterChef saga continues
Following Greg Wallace’s high-profile departure from the show, the BBC confirmed earlier this month that John Torode’s contract would also be ending. Reports suggest that behind the scenes, the departure was anything but straightforward.
According to the Guardian, Torode’s exit came in the wake of an internal BBC investigation into allegations of racist language used on set—allegations which he has denied. Though the BBC declined to confirm any direct link between the complaint and the decision not to renew his contract, the timing speaks volumes.
In today’s broadcasting landscape, where audience expectations around representation, accountability, and cultural sensitivity are evolving rapidly, even well-loved figures aren’t immune to scrutiny.
Where does this leave MasterChef? Announcements suggest that the latest season will still be airing with Greg Wallace and John Torode as presenters. But what will happen next?
A total reinvention seems unlikely—the format is still popular and reliably pulls in audiences. But the double departure does offer the BBC a rare blank canvas. And, with the reputation of the broadcasting company on the line as yet another star is embroiled in scandal, their choice may be more important than ever.
Astronomer chief under the microscope
What began as a seemingly light-hearted moment at a Coldplay concert has quickly spiralled into a reputational meltdown for a tech firm previously known to a small handful of people in the industry.
At a concert in Boston, then-CEO of Astronomer, Andy Byron, and the firm’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot, were involuntarily thrust into the limelight via the venue’s kiss‑cam. Chris Martin’s quip – “either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy”- ignited a viral firestorm.
The fallout was swift and brutal. Byron and Cabot were placed on leave almost immediately while Astronomer’s board launched an internal investigation. Within a few days, Byron resigned, citing his failure to uphold the company’s leadership standards. Cabot followed suit later in June.
The company responded publicly with a series of carefully worded LinkedIn posts (comments turned off, of course!) This quick response seems to have placated some on social media, with most of the criticism levelled at the individuals involved, particularly Byron. However, this was not before a series of fake statements made the rounds, leaving many confused as to what was actually happening. Perhaps the lesson here is that mixing the personal and professional is bound to end badly when it comes to personal reputation.
Unfortunately, despite the scandal making the company a household name, no one seems to have any idea of what Astronomer actually does. Luckily, in a further surprising twist, Gwyneth Paltrow is now here to help.
