Extras




Young Ones Competition Entry Winner
 
One Show Merit Award winner for Interactive, Online, & Mobile Category and Intergrated Campaign CategorY
One Show Pencil Award Winner for Experiential & Immersive category

The Client 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.
Phase 1: Learning the Consumer Phase 2: Partnership  Phase 3: Taking It On THe Road


Phase 1 

Getting the lay of the Land 

94%
of our survey respondents said that they have the desire to language another language.
(33 responses total)


The Brand 
Duolingo is doing great in their market. Just last year they generated a profit of $23.4 million, or $0.53 a share, up sharply from $2.8 million, or $0.07 a share (TSI Network, 2024). Yes that’s amazing, but Duolingo is struggling to keep their users motivated and have old users come back to finish their courses.

The main issue is that people rely too heavily on a singular app to stay motivated when most language learners find success in having multiple outlets to practice and actively use the language they are learning. Retaining motivation is easier when you are in an area that has a lot of exposure to different languages.

The Consumer
English speakers want to learn and remember a second language.We need to find a way to get Americans more exposure to other languages and cultivate community to increase motivation. What is one thing that Americans are already exposed to in foreign cultures and languages? Food

“Food is a universal connector, and language is its faithful translator, carrying culinary traditions and cultural histories across the globe. Together, they nourish both body and soul, serving as bridges between people and places.”  (Seldean Smith, Day Translations, 2025) 
Also, food is one of the first lesson people cover when learning a new language. 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. Even so much so that the food lesson is in the first section and unit of many languages within the Duolingo app. 
Insight:
Predictablity gives ease to people who are uncomfortable. Strategy:
Duolingo will immerse learners in cultural food experiences that feel familiar.

Phase 2

The Perfect Partnership

It only makes sense to partner with a global food company that consumers already love to remind them to finish their Duolingo lessons. McDonald’s
And everybody knows McDonald’s. 

With over 41,000 McDonald’s restaurants worldwide

3,000 in the US alone in 2023
Largest fast food chain by number of restaurants 

McDonald’s holds a connection with people all over the world and the restaurant understands that food is the basis of culture.





Additionally, McDonald’s has international menu items that are sold exclusively in different countries around the world. The demand is high for these special items, but McDonald’s lovers might not get the chance to try them. To bring a taste of the some of the global menu items to the US, McDonald’s opened a Global Menu restaurant in Chicago. Still, that location may not be accessible to all people around the US. 


Phase 3 

Taking It On The Road 





With the help of Duolingo, we’re taking the McDonald’s global menu on the road  




 

Notification Reminders



 What’s Happening? Duolingo will partner up with McDonald’s to bring their global menu to a city       near you because Duolingo has always brought the world to you. 

The truck will stop at these five cities to pair with specific nationalities that are      highlighted through the McDonald’s Global Menu. 

Charlotte, NC
Korean New Orleans, LA
French Santa Fe, NM
Spanish Jersey City, NJ
Italian Bay Area, CA
Chinese



Launch
Social -> Notification Reminders -> Linked App Integration -> Event






Linked App Integration 
Completing lessons on duolingo will earn users MyMcDonald’s rewards so that they can redeem the global menu invitation. When the Mobile Global truck is on the way to a location close to users, both apps will send gentle reminders for them to complete their lessons and earn points towards the global menu items. At the same time, users will be unlocking a new country on their McDuo’s passport.
 At the event
At the pop up we will have exclusive Duolingo themed McDonald’s toys, photo opps with Duo, food from the international menu, and the opportunity to engage with a community of learners. At the event, users are able to practice that way they are comfortable in the fact that they each may mess up but at the same time their are getting better and overall maintain their motivation to learn. 
Team:
Reagan Tate (AD)
Sarah Jones (CBM)
Logan Furey (CW)
Yanna Nguyen (XD)My Role: Strategist
Social Listening 
Survey Curation 
Location Research 




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