Duolingo took to social media on Tuesday to announce that it has killed off its mascot, or, fairly, the chicken has died.
“It’s with heavy hearts that we inform you that Duo, formally often called The Duolingo Owl, is lifeless,” the post begins. “Authorities are at present investigating his demise and we’re cooperating totally.”
We recommend checking the advertising division for proof.
“TBH, he most likely died ready so that you can do your lesson, however what do we all know?” the corporate continued. “Should you really feel inclined to share, please additionally embody your bank card quantity so we will mechanically signal you up for Duolingo Max in his reminiscence.”
In a statement to a CBS affiliate, a Duolingo spokesperson confirmed that as part of a brand new model advertising marketing campaign, Duo is “lifeless” however folks should not truly publish their bank card info, as that a part of the publish was purported to be a joke.
The owl’s reputation has taken on a lifetime of its personal, with the chicken even making an appearance at Berlin Style Week final month.
It is not the primary time Duolingo has been unconventional in its method to advertising (and conferences). In November 2024, the corporate changed CEO Luis von Ahn on its earnings call with its purple-haired chatbot, Lily.
“Over time, she’s going to do increasingly more of my job, and I can simply retire,” von Ahn stated, on the time.
The Duolingo chicken through the Marina Hoermanseder Style Present as a part of the Berlin Style Week AW25 at Resort Oderberger on January 31, 2025, in Berlin, Germany. (Picture by Isa Foltin/Hoermanseder by way of Getty Pictures)
The publish ends with the corporate asking everybody to “respect Dua Lipa’s privateness presently.”
The corporate’s TikTok account has been posting about Dua Lipa for years, with Duolingo’s social media workforce preserving the gag related with common posting.
Though the corporate did not say what killed the owl, the advertising workforce determined to do that in the midst of the worldwide bird flu, although it is not clear if that was intentional or ill-timed. Nonetheless, we’ll await the ultimate post-mortem.
