by In order to be successful in the Twenty-First Century, a brand must have a strong social media presence. Duolingo, a leading language learning application, has taken social media by storm with the help of its iconic green owl mascot, “Duo.” The content that Duolingo has released on their Instagram and TikTok in recent years has gone beyond just promoting its language learning service. Through their international platform, Duolingo allows users to learn a new language from their native language and Duo builds relationships with the audience using humor. In this article, we will explore how Duolingo’s social media strategy has elevated the standard of brand engagement.
For each language offered by the application, Duolingo has separate social media platforms to keep all of its users informed and engaged. While the posts and content vary from each account, there is no doubt that the main star that encompasses all of their content is Duo, with his green puffy feathers and wide eyes. On each of their sites, their mascot appears friendly and cheerful to the consumer, embodying the friendliness the application strives to represent. Moreover, Duolingo can be deemed as relatable to the general public as a result of their exquisite ability to trendjack, most commonly seen in the form of posting content that aligns with relevant trends. By adapting the trend and modifying it with their twist they can appear in a user’s algorithm if the user likes or consistently views similar posts. This strategy used by Duolingo has allowed many consumers to discover the language application. Nevertheless, the internet has managed to develop a trend for the app, one in which the charismatic Duo “playfully threatens” users if they lose a streak in the app. A streak has to do with how many back-to-back days one has completed a lesson in the app. If the user misses a lesson for that day, the streak is lost as a result and the person has to re-start the streak. This playful “threatening the user” trend has assisted Duliongo in directing online traffic to their content and entertainment account administrators frequently engage with those who comment on their posts.
Duolingo has demonstrated the brand’s adaptability to chaotic marketing to appeal to Generation Z. This form of marketing helps pitch the brand as authentic and genuine, which has resonated with consumers, as they feel the brand cares about its users and wants them to benefit from learning a new language. Furthermore, the application’s mission of providing free language courses internationally is a noble cause that the public can get behind and support. The easy access to the website makes it as simple as clicking the link on their profile and directly starting the lesson. These varying elements of the application demonstrate why Duolingo has decided to focus on social media rather than traditional advertising routes, landing them a massive advantage against competitors.
I agree that Duolingo has been really increasing brand engagement recently with its social media strategy. The posts are not only fun and humorous but also tease at audiences competitive side. By replying back to comments, it makes the audience feel like they want to comment more to get the chance for Duolingo to respond to them. I also noticed on the posts that other brands such as Sour Patch Kids have been commenting and keeping up the image of it all. I don’t know if this is a brand partnership, but it is also contributing to the engagement factor. I love that brands have recently been doing more of this, such as Nutter Butter, Sunny D, Sour Patch Kids, Cheetos, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and more and some have even created a fake feud to increase more engagement such as Sour Patch Kids and Oreos. This is all definitely appealing to Gen Z, especially with the use of latest trends that Gen Z are following.
Caroline, your blog post was the first to catch my attention. Duolingo is a popular topic on almost every social media platform. You did a great job breaking down its user engagement tactics. I’m a big fan of Duolingo’s interactive communication style with Generation Z because it makes users feel personally connected. This blog post was well thought out and concise, and I appreciate the quick read.
– Kiasia Baggenstos
I love the recent trend of marketing a brand like this. Duolingo has caught the nation’s attention with its snarky comments to consumers. I think the first brand to really adapt the “mean girl” persona was Wendy’s and the internet loved seeing it.
I personally love the Duolingo marketing on TikTok. Many companies have followed in their footsteps of posting unhinged comments or funny videos that don’t directly have anything to do with their brand/company. I think this is a great way of creating some positive attention and or talk about ones company and definitely grabs the attention of younger viewers. It also helps the company/brand show that they are not always serious and that they know how to laugh and or have a sense of humor. For example, I have recently seen lots of videos and comments from the official MLB TikTok account that are very similar/following in the footsteps of Duolingo, and it has made me more interested in watching their content and paying more attention to baseball in general. And all of this, in my opinion, is because of the unhinged and sometimes threatening Duolingo owl. Great blog post!
I love that you chose this topic! I’ve also been fascinated by brands like Duolingo commenting on seemingly random viral videos. You did a great job connecting the commenting strategy with the app’s aesthetics, which gives it a distinct personality. I agree that this authenticity and novelty really enhance user engagement.
Caroline, you did a fantastic job highlighting how Duolingo’s social media strategy has transformed its brand engagement. Your analysis of how Duo the Owl uses humor and trendjacking to connect with users, especially Gen Z, really emphasizes why their approach feels so authentic. Focusing on social media rather than traditional ads definitely gives Duolingo a competitive edge, and you captured that perfectly. Great work!