The Murder of the Duolingo Owl and What It Says About Branding

The Murder of the Duolingo Owl and What It Says About Branding

A few weeks ago, Duolingo did something most brands would never dare: They killed their mascot. That’s right— the persistent, meme-worthy green owl that haunted your screen with passive-aggressive reminders to practice Spanish was murdered. Publicly. Dramatically. In a telenovela-style TikTok plotline that sent fans into a full-blown panic. But what looked like a ridiculous…