Kathie Lee Gifford gets her own ‘hashflag’ on Twitter

By Michael P. Hill • April 5, 2019

Broadcast Design Network Morning Shows Networks

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NBC and Twitter have teamed up to insert a “hashflag” of Kathie Lee Gifford next to the “#CheersToKLG” branding it’s using to say goodbye to the co-host of the fourth hour of “Today.”

NBC goes big on Kathie Lee Gifford’s goodbye

Gifford, who joined the NBC team in 2008, announced earlier this year that she would depart “Today” April 5, 2019.

On Twitter, if a user uses the hashtag “#CheersToKLG,” Twitter automatically inserts an emoji-style icon of the cartoon-style caricature of Gifford the show has used in its graphics for some time.

In the “feed” view of Twitter, the icon is smaller and rather difficult to make out — but in different views it’s easier to make out.

Hashflags are inserted by Twitter, often as part of a paid marketing campaign, but Twitter also adds them for notable newsworthy events and causes. The images typically disappear after a certain period of time — even though the hashtags remain.