T-Mobile’s primary color may be pink and approachable, but its CEO is a bit more…shall we say, controversial. No stranger to the spotlight, John Legere is known for his outspoken ways and bold use of social media, particularly Twitter. And now, to reward his Internet fame, the social media platform is giving the T-Mobile executive his very own emoji.
With more than 2 million followers and 17,500 tweets under his belt in just under three years (he first joined the platform in May 2013), it’s no surprise that Legere has become something of a Twitter celebrity. Starting Monday, if you tweet the hashtag #tweetjohn, you’ll be greeted by an emoji of a smiling Legere, which will certainly dress up your tweet (no matter what the content or context).
Legere, who has often used Twitter to communicate with T-Mobile’s ever-growing customer base, is thrilled by the new addition, noting that tweeting is “something I’m doing every minute of the day.” In an interview with CNN Money, the executive said, “It’s all I do. When I sit alone at a bar, I do Twitter. Maybe that’s a little sad. But my peer CEOs would never do it, because it’s way too hard and very unglamorous.”
The emoji honor isn’t one to be taken lightly, as Legere is only the second individual Twitter has gifted with such high praise. The first was none other than Pope Francis.
But then again, humility has never been a strong suit of Legere’s. On Sunday, the CEO tweeted several photos of himself wearing a sweatshirt with, you guessed it, his own emoji on the front. It’s a well-earned pat on the back, he believes, for the improvements he’s overseen as T-Mobile.
“I have a much more precise pulse on what’s happening, even with individual customers,” Legere told CNN. “I’ll have an interaction with an anonymous person, and their mind is blown that I’m handling this issue.”
So tweet on, Mr. Legere. And if you’d like to tweet at him (and see a version of the exec that makes him look “20 years younger”), don’t forget to use the hashtag #tweetjohn.
