While there isn’t necessarily a direct translation from increased TikTok views and likes to increased Duolingo users, Parvez and other marketing employees at the company shared that it helps the app communicate its message to new and younger audiences who frequent TikTok.

only playin’ yourself 🧢 #cap #run #bescared #comedy #duolingo

But rather than centering on the museum’s strategy of creating completely original jokes for the app, Parvez takes advantage of trending sounds or memes on TikTok and applying them to Duolingo, usually something to do with the app’s persistent reminders to users to complete their lessons.

Pittsburgh’s own Carnegie Museum of Natural History has also seen massive user engagement with its series of snail jokes from Tim Pearce, the mollusk collection curator. Why don’t we strategically use a platform that’s meant for fun to push that idea?”ĭuolingo isn’t the first to use the app for a unique form of brand awareness. “We kind of saw this natural link where we have this whole idea that language learning is fun. Brands that try selling things don’t really tend to resonate, but if they entertain, people love it,” Parvez told the Pittsburgh Business Journal in a recent interview. Brands are there to entertain, they’re not just there to sell. “A big part of Duolingo is that we make language learning fun, and I think that quality specifically was such an awesome opportunity to link to TikTok because TikTok is meant for entertainment, it’s meant for people to have fun. Who are you picking…Pikachu or Duo? 🤔💚 #DUOLIPO #LanguageLearning #Exploring #NYC #HereComesTheBoy #Duolingo #Pokemon #ADayInMyLife

From clips of Duo jokingly chasing employees through the space to clapbacks in reply to users saying they prefer Google Translate to a mild obsession with Dua Lipa, the company’s social media coordinator Zaria Parvez has helped Duolingo’s TikTok go from around 50,000 followers to over 1.3 million in a matter of weeks. Since then, Duolingo social media managers have posted new videos of the owl with employees back in the company’s East Liberty office, which reopened in September. Though the education tech company has been on the social media platform since February, its profile has gained new traction following Duo’s very cute Times Square appearance after the company’s initial public offering in July. There’s another famous bird in town.ĭuo, the green owl mascot for language learning company Duolingo, is trending on TikTok.

Duolingo owl