Duolingo, one of the most popular language-learning apps globally, has been very busy over the past few years. There have been many course updates introduced, starting with the ABC program in 2020, which aimed to help young children ages 3-8 with reading and writing in English, and later Mathematics and Music courses in 2022 and 2023, respectively. In addition, new subscription services like Super Duolingo and Duolingo MAX have aimed to streamline learners’ experiences through unique exercise types and AI integration.
But what has their mascot, Duo, been up to?
In recent years, many businesses have been quick to construct a strong social media presence. With more and more of Gen Z entering the age of majority and becoming independent consumers, companies will have to connect with this new demographic in a unique way. So Duolingo chose to use memes to attract new users.
A cursory glance at the official Duolingo Instagram account will reveal memes as far as the eye can see and the finger can swipe. But these aren’t just simple memes that generate an occasional chuckle. These memes are diverse and target a variety of demographics within the larger Gen Z demographic. A post on Oct. 22 depicts Duo as a brolic figure walking around and striking poses. Compare this to their post from Sept. 19 which featured the caption “who roasted and ate the Duolingo bird?” with cooking influencers looking guilty. These posts present a dichotomy in the brand’s humor choices, while revealing their commitment to an overarching “Gen Z” vibe.
Looking back at some internet history, the Duolingo Instagram account held a very light social media presence until November of 2017, at which point their posting started to become a lot more consistent. Interestingly, it was right before this that memes featuring Duolingo as its muse spread like wildfire online.
According to Know Your Meme, the first significant meme of the green owl comes from Tumblr user “knightcore,” who posted a photoshopped image of Duo holding a firearm with the caption, “me: *neglects my duo lingo app*,” on Oct. 24, 2017. From there, similar memes infected the internet, and Duolingo was quick to capitalize on this fact.
This influx of internet content often depicted Duo as an aggressive figure who would employ kidnapping, blackmail, and other violent behaviors to keep its users focused on their language lessons, typically depicted as Spanish. Even now, Duo makes occasional appearances in online memes that are unaffiliated with Duolingo and its brand.
As memes regarding Duo fade out of relevancy, people can only wonder what’s next for the language-learning app. Will memes be enough to maintain its popularity, or will the brand need to reapproach the way they connect with prospective users? Only time will tell, but their momentum doesn’t seem to be vanishing just yet.
