How Duolingo’s marketing shaped pop culture while driving huge user growth

Take any pop culture moment or internet trend that arose in 2024, from the Super Bowl to the “Brat Summer” phenomenon, and Duolingo’s owl mascot, Duo, is guaranteed to have been involved somehow. Whether it was simply an icon of Duo’s lime-green face next to one of the brand’s comments on a viral video, one of Duolingo’s takes on a TikTok trend racking up millions of views, or even Duo himself (or a flock of his disciples) making an appearance at a buzzy event, Duolingo firmly embedded its mascot in internet culture.