Duolingo Riddles
ROLE: Graphic Designer
TOOLS: Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects
TIMELINE: January 2025 - February 2025
CREDITS: Stock Images - Unsplash and @tanmate from SketchFab
Overview
Duolingo, the world’s leading language-learning platform, introduces Duolingo Riddles, a global campaign designed to make language learning more engaging and social. Learners receive weekly riddles via app notifications, directing them to social media to answer in their target language for a chance to win Super Duolingo. Additionally, MeetUp integration connects users to Duolingo-sponsored or community events, encouraging real-world practice. This campaign turns learning into a fun, habit-forming, and shared experience.
Promotional Video
The advertisement video highlights how Duolingo Riddles works—showcasing the fun, interactive riddles shared weekly via social media, with learners engaging by answering in their target language for a chance to win Super Duolingo. It introduces the collaboration with MeetUp, allowing users to connect for in-person events. It sparks excitement for future app integration, demonstrating how riddles can seamlessly enhance the language-learning experience.
The Challenge
Duolingo thrives online but lacks real-world interaction, making it harder for learners to stay motivated beyond individual lessons. The goal is to keep Gen Z & Millennials engaged with Duolingo requires more than just streaks—it needs fun, social, and shareable reminders that they’ll want to pass along to friends
The Solution
Duolingo Riddles bridges the gap between digital engagement and real-world practice. By integrating weekly riddles on social media (Instagram or Facebook) with app notifications, learners stay motivated while reinforcing their language skills in a fun, social way. The MeetUp collaboration further enhances this by providing in-person and virtual events, creating a well-rounded learning experience that keeps users engaged beyond the app.
Key Insights
Through research conducted on Reddit with unofficial Duolingo learner communities, I gathered insights on how users engage with the app and whether Duolingo Riddles would be an appealing addition. It shows that learners would be up for a great challenge and enhance problem-solving. Additionally, user discussions revealed a 50/50 split—some prefer online interactions for convenience, while others value in-person community experiences. By integrating Duolingo Riddles with Meetup, this concept bridges both worlds, making language learning more interactive, social, and accessible.
User Persona
Our primary audience (Gen-Z and Millenials) consists of digital-first learners who thrive on gamified, interactive experiences and engage with shareable content on social media. They are motivated by fun challenges, community interaction, and self-improvement. The secondary audience includes occasional Duolingo users who need a compelling reason to return, as well as those who enjoy cultural exploration and problem-solving in a flexible, low-pressure way—whether through meetups or online discussions. Alex is a great example for this research.
Empathy Map
The empathy map helps us better understand our personas' motivations, frustrations, and behaviors. It reveals that learners seek fun, low-pressure ways to stay engaged, feel motivated by community interaction, and appreciate both online and real-world opportunities to practice their language skills.
User Journey Map
The user journey map highlights how learners start off excited about learning a new language or returning to it but often struggle with motivation over time. As streaks break and practice feels repetitive, many disengage or forget to return to the app.
Riddles x MeetUp Integration
Riddles x Meetup integration offers a flexible, community-driven experience where learners can host or join events. Duolingo-sponsored meetups add extra incentives, rewarding riddle solvers with exclusive event perks, making language learning social, fun, and rewarding.
Meet-Up Branded Assets
Imagine a Duolingo-sponsored Japanese & Matcha-themed meetup at a cozy coffee shop. The event blends Duolingo’s vibrant branding with cultural elements, featuring matcha-inspired drinks. QR-coded coasters lead to exclusive Duolingo filters, while attendees can snap photos against a themed backdrop, sharing their experience on social media. Collectible stickers and drink incentives for solving riddles make the event fun, interactive, and a perfect way to engage learners in a unique, immersive cultural experience.
Campus Booth (Marketing)
An interactive campus booth engages students with Duolingo through fun language challenges and riddles. Offering prizes and social media sharing, the booth creates a dynamic, social space for students to practice their language skills while reinforcing brand engagement.
Duolingo Riddles - Korean Food Truck
Outdoor Advertising (Interactive)
Creative Process
To view more of my creative process, please click on this button to be navigated to the full PDF slide deck!