Duolingo's owl crashes dating show Love Island

Months after "killing off" its iconic green owl, Duolingo is reviving Duo, this time as a surprise contestant in Love Island US.

The online language learning app first teased the feathery comeback last week, posting photos of Duo in fiery beachwear on Instagram.

Soon after, the brand dropped a “Meet the islanders” video featuring the green mascot, highlighting what he’s looking for in love.

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"My ex cheated on me but now I'm finally ready to step out and find love. What's not to like? You know what they say about owls with big beaks. My ideal partner would talk flirty to me in 43 languages. I'm not afraid to double text because my love language is communication. My friends say I'm clingy, I say I'm just looking for someone committed. 365-day streak minimum baby," Duo said as it showed off its chirpy moves while dressed in a bathing suit. 

The brand continued to build momentum with a series of clips showing Duo lurking and dancing around the villa.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Duolingo for more information. 

This isn’t Duo’s first brush with romance. In 2023, the mascot partnered with US streaming service Peacock on a reality dating show concept, where singles from around the world shared a house in paradise, without speaking the same language. According to Variety, the project was ultimately revealed to be an early April Fools’ Day stunt.

Duolingo is no stranger to out-of-the-box campaigns. In May, the brand wiped its usual social content, handing the reins to a rogue, three-eyed, hoodie-wearing owl. The bizarre move followed the company’s announcement that it was going "AI-first".

Earlier this year, as the potential TikTok ban loomed in the United States, Duolingo leaned into the moment with some cheeky commentary. On 14 January, five days before the app’s supposed D-Day, the brand posted on X “oh so now you’re learning mandarin”, a wink at users flocking to Chinese social app RedNote, one of TikTok’s competitors.

The post quickly gained traction, with X users sharing screenshots of their “new favourite apps", often featuring RedNote, Duolingo and Google Translate. Doubling down, the brand dropped a humorous educational video translating trending English phrases into Mandarin, helping users prep for life after TikTok, one streak at a time.

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