Duolingo: A Masterclass in Guerilla Marketing
Photo credit: The Shorty Awards
As I was scrolling on my Instagram the other day, a peculiar video appeared on my screen. In it, an oversized green owl was smiling and dancing giddily on the streets of New York City. It was Duo, the face of the language learning program, Duolingo. He was wearing a red, lacy corset, a comical sight to be seen. Suddenly, a meme of him appears on the screen, and then another, and then another. The memes weren’t academic, and certainly weren’t expected, because this was an ad for Duolingo. They seemed to be created by a member of Gen Z, perfectly catering to our humor and internet-rotted minds. I didn’t think the ad was real, at first, until I lowered my eyes to the username of the account who had posted the video: @Duolingo. It was official; it had the blue checkmark. “What? How is this what they are doing to market Duolingo?” I thought to myself. The utter goofiness of the ad was far too colloquial for such a corporation, but nevertheless, that was where its significance lied. You see, Duolingo is not the first company to take a far more Gen Z and far less serious approach to marketing, but they are one of the few companies I have seen that have embraced this mentality and become one with “stupid” marketing.
It’s a facet of guerilla marketing. Noun: an advertising approach that borrows the concept of “guerrilla” warfare, or the element of surprise, to communicate with target audiences. An “innovative, unconventional, and low-cost marketing technique aimed at obtaining maximum exposure for a product,” Duolingo excels at this idea. They are constantly trying unique and quirky ways of promoting their application, from creating and posting Duo-memes to replying to the public’s comments on social media with personality and, for lack of a better word, zest. While other companies try to do this, they never go all in like Duolingo has. Duo is afraid to put dirt on his name, and he is certainly unafraid of poking fun at himself. One prime example of this is the email notifications Duolingo has programmed to send out to learners who need reminding of keeping up with their streak. Thanks to AI, Duo the Owl sends out somewhat concerning reminders: ranging from “Your Japanese lessons won’t take themselves” all the way to, what can only be categorized as passive aggressive and self aware messages, “These reminders don’t seem to be working.” As the learner pulls back from practicing every day, the app seems to understand, spawning internet hubbub and concern from some. Others took to making memes as a way of teasing Duolingo’s messaging system; thus, a corner of internet culture and trolling was born.
Once, Duo became present on TikTok, the marketing reached new heights. Social media managers, who have to be Gen Z, have been keeping Duo up to date on all the trends and memes of the moment. He is very good about inserting himself into trends, in a way that both makes people laugh and helps promote the app. Like the initial video I saw on my explore page, Duo’s social media does not come across like a company-managed endeavor; rather, it seems like another member of Gen Z, who happens to be an oversized green owl, posting about something silly or current. This is the thesis behind Duolingo’s recent marketing campaigns, and it’s proving to be successful. At the end of 2023, 86% of Japanese learners and 76% of Chinese learners were under 30. Moreover, Gen Z seemed to be studying languages due to media influence and pop culture. From personal experience, one reason I chose to study German was because of Duolingo’s hilarious and unserious Deutschland account on Instagram. Whoever runs that account deserves a raise, they are constantly replying to comments in the most unhinged way possible and are favored by the algorithm.
Sometimes the best things aren’t the deepest. Sometimes the best things don’t have an ulterior motive or some big plot to win over the world. Sometimes the best things are the funniest or the most relatable. This is the case with Duolingo’s marketing. It takes the concept of guerilla marketing, being unconventional, accessible, and widespread, and integrates it seamlessly into the digital world, and especially the media of younger generations. Ask anyone and they will tell you they have seen Duolingo on their screens before. Mira Silverman, a peer of mine, said, “Yeah, I’ve seen Duolingo memes from their TikTok account while scrolling.” It’s widespread, highly comprehensible, and applicable to everyone. I don’t know a single person that wouldn’t find a giant green owl dancing around in a lacy corset on the streets of New York City amusing––I urge you to try. Duolingo and its marketing not only have a chokehold on language learning, but on the internet as a whole––oh! Time to study German for the day… or else Duo’s going to get me!
