Less & More: The WFH Mom Edit

A closer look at the PR strategy behind everyone’s favorite multi-lingual bird…

Welcome to The Deep Dive, a new series from the PR pros behind The PR Edit. The right approach to PR can not only elevate brand awareness among a target audience but it can shape public perception and drive real results – be it sales, retail expansion, executive visibility, and/or overall improved company reputation. Molly and Sarah both have nearly 20 years in the business and are certified PR Nerds, always looking for brands and campaigns that really resonate and have a positive impact. The Deep Dive focuses on the campaigns, strategies, wins, and lessons from some of our favorite brands and agencies. So let’s dive in.

Please imagine for a moment explaining to a pioneer that a tiny green bird inside of the communication device you carry around has been bullying you every single day to learn Italian. Then please explain to them that I have a 100+ day streak because I’m really proud of it and will tell literally anyone.

Skimming the Surface: Quick Brand History

One of the more popular language-learning platforms, Duolingo offers quick daily lessons to help anyone learn languages from Spanish to French to Welsh and more. Leveraging the fun of gamification with points, levels, and in-app rewards to keep users engaged, the app helps users read, write, speak, and hear their new language of choice. Blending gamification and microlearning to teach me how to order a coffee or have a conversation with my Nonno about his new red sweater in just a few days? Ok, bird, I am listening.

From the press room: “Duolingo was founded in 2011 by Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker. The Duolingo app launched in 2012 and has since become the most popular way to learn a language and one of the most downloaded education apps in the world.”

Diving In: PR Approach and Results

I think a well executed strategy is one that blends different approaches to grow and engage your target audience in brand-appropriate ways and, boy, does the bird get it right. Obtaining roughly 80% of its users organically is no small feat. Duolingo has utilized both a strategic earned media approach and playful engagement on social channels to bring a fresh, playful and empowering feel to learning something new.

Data-Driven Social Strategy: The brand knows how to lean in, that’s for sure. They keep an eye on consumer trends and leverage user data – specifically a sign up survey asking where new users heard of Duolingo – to develop their strategy and decide which social platforms will be the main focus (hey, TikTok!). In lieu of a ton of paid social ads, Duolingo has created a data-driven approach that helps the brand go viral fairly often and create incredible word-of-mouth.

SEO-OMG: Since its beginnings in 2011, Duolingo has homed in on SEO tactics that actually work. For example, Duolingo’s content team targets keywords potential users are looking for but also aligns content with user search intent to capture more traffic. With both a website and a mobile app that are primed for speed and a streamlined user experience with easy navigation, Duolingo has created platforms that improve overall SEO performance, too.

The Notorious D-U-O: Notoriety is key, too. Duo, Duolingo’s birdie mascot, is the muscle of the brand’s voice and is so easily recognizable that it has hit the red carpet at movie premieres and is certifiably meme-able. Duo’s fame helps re-engage existing users and draw in new ones – some hard hitting benefits for a cartoon bird.

Fandom First: The brand is also known for offering lessons in fandom languages like High Valyrian – a move that has seen some users sign up to learn phrases in a fake language but stay to learn more about actual earthling languages. Duolingo has managed to create its own fandom with users loving more than just learning. With the goal of making Duo the Owl as recognizable as Pikachu, Duolingo went full retail by opening its first pop up store in New York this August and keeping a live online merch store featuring branded Crocs, plushies, bags, and more. A retail avenue for a language-learning app? Ok, I like it.

Powerful Partnerships: This bird understands the assignment when it comes to brand partners and keeping things fresh. Duolingo recently partnered with Webtoon to produce an original content series earlier this quarter, created the aforementioned branded Crocs in late summer, and licensed more than 60 tracks from Sony to bring bops to users’ daily practice. And that’s just in the last few months. Since its inception, Duolingo has partnered with content creators, large corps, and small businesses to create a more comprehensive and fun user experience while tapping into new customer bases through strategic collaborations. Birds of a feather, indeed.

Earning Media: Any PR pro knows that earned media isn’t guaranteed but Duolingo remains a media darling. With coverage of its “unhinged social strategy,” partnerships, product launches, app updates, and executive announcements, Duo gets pretty continuous coverage in traditional media. By creating brand moments, even silly ones like a Duolingo on Ice April Fools joke, Duolingo has managed to create an authentic voice in which even the pranks feel real…and translate into real media coverage. Duolingo on Ice saw placements in big pubs including CNET, Washington Post, and Quartz. Not too shabby for April Fools Day!

The Buried Treasure (TL;DR): Takeaways & Why We Like It

I am a BIG fan of Duolingo’s PR approach – silliness on social media and leveraging the power of earned media to differentiate from the handful of top competitors and emphasize the app’s core mission of accessible education. Ranking among the top in search results for language learning, reporting an impressive YTD, garnering immediate consumer brand recognition, having a notable mascot, and boasting 13.6M current followers on TikTok alone, it is safe to say that Duo’s approach to PR and user engagement is working.

The brand itself is playful and leans into humor, trends, and authentic wit to connect with consumers via social media. Duolingo has managed to cultivate a loyal following of over 500 million users globally by effectively blending brand awareness with a deeper message of learning and empowerment. Bel lavoro, uccellino verde!

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