Duolingo took to social media on Tuesday to announce that it has killed off its mascot, or, slightly, the fowl has died.
“It’s with heavy hearts that we inform you that Duo, formally often known as The Duolingo Owl, is useless,” the put up begins. “Authorities are at present investigating his demise and we’re cooperating totally.”
We propose checking the advertising division for proof.
“TBH, he in all probability died ready so that you can do your lesson, however what do we all know?” the corporate continued. “In the event you really feel inclined to share, please additionally embrace your bank card quantity so we will robotically signal you up for Duolingo Max in his reminiscence.”
In a press release to a CBS affiliate, a Duolingo spokesperson confirmed that as part of a brand new model advertising marketing campaign, Duo is “useless” however folks should not truly put up their bank card data, as that a part of the put up was presupposed to be a joke.
The owl’s reputation has taken on a lifetime of its personal, with the fowl even making an look at Berlin Trend Week final month.
It isn’t the primary time Duolingo has been unconventional in its strategy to advertising (and conferences). In November 2024, the corporate changed CEO Luis von Ahn on its earnings name with its purple-haired chatbot, Lily.
“Over time, she’s going to do an increasing number of of my job, and I can simply retire,” von Ahn mentioned, on the time.
The Duolingo fowl throughout the Marina Hoermanseder Trend Present as a part of the Berlin Trend Week AW25 at Lodge Oderberger on January 31, 2025, in Berlin, Germany. (Picture by Isa Foltin/Hoermanseder through Getty Pictures)
The put up ends with the corporate asking everybody to “respect Dua Lipa’s privateness at the moment.”
The corporate’s TikTok account has been posting about Dua Lipa for years, with Duolingo’s social media group conserving the gag related with common posting.
Though the corporate did not say what killed the owl, the advertising group determined to do that in the course of the worldwide fowl flu, although it isn’t clear if that was intentional or ill-timed. Nonetheless, we’ll look ahead to the ultimate post-mortem.
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