Duolingo's beloved mascot, Duo the Owl, is back from the dead after a viral marketing campaign that saw the language-learning app stage his "death" by Tesla Cybertruck.
The company revived the green owl on February 24, posting a video of a person in a Duo costume dramatically emerging from a coffin with the caption, “Y’all really think I’d let a Cybertruck take me out?”
The marketing stunt began after the Super Bowl when Duolingo first hinted at Duo’s demise, joking that he had "many enemies" and had likely "died waiting for you to do your lesson." The company then staged an elaborate online memorial, selling Duo plushies in coffin-shaped boxes and urging users to take language lessons to "revive" him.
The staged death, which featured a TikTok video showing Duo getting hit by a Tesla Cybertruck, quickly went viral. The internet exploded with memes, with brands like Netflix, Baskin Robbins, and Cheez-Its joining the conversation. Even pop star Dua Lipa played along, posting, "Til' death Duo part" with a broken-heart emoji, referencing her past collaboration with the mascot.
Duolingo later updated its site with stats showing which countries contributed the most experience points (XP) to revive Duo, with the U.S. leading. The company teased that more details about the stunt will be revealed soon, keeping fans engaged in the ongoing narrative.
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