DuoLingo
Experiential Campaign Strategy + Collaboration
(Young Ones Winner)
The Ask
Get Gen Z and Millennial learners to pick up learning with Duolingo by sending them unique “reminders” they not only love but want to share with their friends.
The Problem
DuoLingo is losing retention of US learners finishing their courses due to loss of motivation.
The Solution
Duolingo will immerse learners in cultural food experiences.
Young Ones Competition Winner:
Winner for "Experiential and Immersive" (place comes out May 12th)
Merit for "Interactive, Online, and Mobile"
Merit for "Integrated Campaign"
Product Background
Duolingo is a language learning app that allows beginners to take lessons for over 40 languages. They generated a profit in the latest quarter of $23.4 million, or $0.53 a share, up sharply from $2.8 million, or $0.07 a share (November, 2024)."Duolingo leads the language learning apps market."
-Statista, 2024
Problem :
DuoLingo is losing retention of US learners finishing their courses due to loss of motivation.
American's setbacks:
-
No obvious need to learn a second language
-
No mandated Language Requirements
-
Limited exposure and resources
-
Lack of community
-
“Many Americans choose not to learn foreign languages or travel internationally, often due to a lack of perceived need or opportunity.”
-Quartz Mountain, 2025
-
"Unlike in other countries, there are no federally mandated foreign language requirements for American students.”
-Preply, 2024
"Why did you stop learning a language?"
"In the US, just 20% of students learn a foreign language. Meanwhile, in parts of Europe that figure stands at 100%. Across the whole of Europe the median is 92%..."
Europeans have these outlets:
-
Community of people to learn with
-
Consistent language exposure
-
Access to different cultures
-
Entertainment
-
Education
Opportunity:
By expanding access to community-driven and immersive language learning experiences, we can unlock greater motivation and engagement for Americans.
Because there is a desire for English speakers to learn a second language:
“Of those who didn’t learn a second language:
-
70% regret not doing so.
-
21% have missed a career opportunity because they didn’t know a second language.
-
58% have been embarrassed by their inability to communicate with someone who spoke a different language.
-
9 out of 10 believe learning a second language is important."
-Preply, 2024
Food is something Americans already have exposure to
soufflé, crème brûlée, sauté
mozzarella, espresso, gelato
taco, burrito, quesadilla
Food is more than sustenance—it’s a universal language that serves as bridges between people and places
-Daily Translations Blog, 2025
Insight:
"Ordering food is generally one of the first things you can actually do in a new language you're learning. The conversations are very predictable, and you don't even need full sentences." -Reddit, 2024
DuoLingo understands this.
That is why learning to order food and
drink is one of the first lessons they teach.
Section 1, Unit 10 : “Order Food and Drink”
Section 1, Unit 4: “Order Food and Drink"
Section 1, Unit 1 : “Order in a cafe”
Section 1, Unit 1 : “Order in a cafe”
Solution:
Duolingo will immerse learners in cultural food experiences.
We are teaming up with a brand who deeply understands the impact that food has on culture, and vice versa.
-
"It’s the world’s largest food chain by number of restaurants"
-
"In 2023, there were over 41.8 thousand McDonald’s restaurants worldwide,"
Outside of the US, McDonald’s adjusts their menu to reflect the cultures of the countries they serve.
These Global menu items are highly sought after, but in America, they can only be found in one location.
Chicago
So, we’re taking the Global Menu on the road, because Duolingo has always been about bringing the world to people.
Introducing:
McDuo's - The Mobile Global Tour
Over 1 month, the McDuo's Truck will hit 5 selected cities
These cities were chosen based on concentrated populations of international communities.
This experience allows Americans to find language exposure while bringing a piece of home to these communities.
-
NJ: Italians
-
NC: Korean
-
LA: French
-
NM: Spanish
-
CA: Chinese
Participants Requirements:
-
DuoLingo and McDonalds apps are downloaded.
-
DuoLingo ordering food/drink course is completed.
-
Must order in the designated language to receive food.
-
The longer your DuoLingo Streak, the more McDonald's rewards you accumulate = more points for food when the Mobile Global Tour comes to a city near you.
Pop-Up Experience:
-
At the events, there will be toys, food, Duo, and the opportunity to engage with a community of fellow learners, so users can practice and maintain their motivation to learn moving forward.
-
Each stop will replicate the language associated to each city through dining decorations around the truck.
App Experience:
-
Notifications and interaction from both apps
Conclusion:
Following this campaign we hope to see:
-
Increased course completion for American users on the DuoLingo app.
-
Re-engagement of lapsed learners, coming back to where they left off.
-
McDonald's is further portrayed as a company engaged in culture through food.
Case study video submission since you can't get enough McDuo's
The Team
-
Kameron (Strategy)
-
Logan (Copywriter)
-
Reagan (Art Directors)
-
Yanna (Experience Design)
My Role
-
Consumer research
-
Social listening
-
Product and brand research
-
Creative brief writing
-
Case study storytelling
-
Creative ideation
-
Cross functional team management
-
Ensuring all aspects of the brief are satisfied.