Duolingo is a language learning app that offers interactive lessons of world languages and uses a system that keeps users hooked with streaks and rewards. Granting a feeling of instant satisfaction, the language app uses a system of prizes to make learning fun and quick. This is appealing to young adults, making it their favorite language learning app. According to Sensor Tower, Duolingo charted number #1 in the education category of the app store for many years. Duolingo was launched in 2012 by Luis von Ahn, a Carnegie Mellon professor, while traveling back to his home in Guatemala.
He sought to make education free and accessible to all. In 2013, it gained 5 million users and won Apple’s “App of the Year” award.
Its success was based on a new way of learning that felt like playing a game. Key features are streaks that motivate users to use the app every day and protect their “streak.” Another one is Mobile-friendliness, which is a simple phone app that lets people learn in short lessons anytime, anywhere.
From 2016 to 2020, Duolingo shot up to stardom. Unboxify said the app introduced its most profitable feature yet, Duolingo Plus. A paid subscription to remove ads and use the app offline. During this time period, the platform added new languages, including rare real-world languages like Navajo and even fictional ones from TV shows such as the Klingon language from Star Trek. This created a lot of excitement and attracted many different types of learners.
In 2021, Duolingo transitioned from a popular app to a mature, publicly traded company. In July 2021, Duolingo went public on the NASDAQ, a major validation of its growth story. It mastered the key to viral social media marketing tactics, and Duolingo’s TikTok team became legendary. They gave the owl mascot, DUO, a chaotic, “unhinged,” and flirtatious personality, connecting with Gen Z and staying relentlessly relevant in pop culture. It has demonstrated strong, consistent revenue growth, primarily from its millions of Super Duolingo subscribers.
In late April, Duolingo faced a public backlash after its CEO, Luis von Ahn, announced a controversial new “AI-first” strategy. The plan involved replacing human contractors with AI, which was met with harsh criticism from users. They feared a drop in quality and widespread job displacement. The company quickly backtracked and claimed AI would only be a tool for workers; the damage was done. The app lost over 320,000 followers, countless users broke long-standing streaks or deleted the app, and its stock price plummeted. Following the intense retaliation, the company, normally known for its attentive social media presence, began ghosting its critics and users online.“It’s just a lot more scalable to teach with AI than with teachers,” said Luis von Ahn, CEO of Duolingo, in an interview with Business Insider.
After a silence, Duolingo returned with a bizarre TikTok video. Its mascot, Duo, with a third eye, gives a dystopian speech about controlling CEOs. The satire post ignored user concerns and seemed to mock the audience instead of addressing their complaints. Ultimately, this shows that dismissing customer concerns rather than communicating with them directly can severely damage a brand’s reputation.
