What happens when a brand takes a bold, unexpected risk on social media? If you’re Duolingo, you spark an internet-wide frenzy.
The “Death of Duo” campaign sent shockwaves across social platforms, leaving fans and casual users alike questioning the fate of their favorite (and sometimes fear-inducing) green owl. Was Duo really gone? Was this an elaborate joke? The mystery fueled engagement, with memes, debates, and hot takes dominating the conversation.
We conducted an extensive social media listening study using EmbedSocial, analyzing 1336 posts across various platforms to uncovering key engagement trends, sentiment shifts, and valuable takeaways for brands.
This analysis provides insights into two key areas:
- General post insights (content types, hashtag usage, top contributors, posting trends, and media usage)
- Sentiment analysis (how users felt about the campaign and brand perception)
General analysis of “Death of Duo” social media posts
We structured the collected posts to find patterns based on content type, hashtags, top contributors, and engagement trends.
Content trends (text vs. media, hashtags, engagement spikes)
Audience sentiment (positive, neutral, or negative reactions)
Key discussion points (what people were actually talking about)
Let’s dive in!
1. Content & media distribution
Our research revealed that text-based posts dominated the conversation, with thousands of users engaging in discussions and memes. Visual content, such as images and videos, played a significant role in amplifying the controversy, but they were less frequent than text posts.
Key Findings:
- Over 60% of posts were purely text-based.
- Image posts, including memes, represented around 30% of content.
- Video posts were the least common, comprising under 10% of total engagement.
Actionable insight: Brands should leverage the power of rich media—such as short videos, live reactions, and behind-the-scenes content—to enhance engagement, particularly during viral campaigns.
2. Hashtag usage
Despite the virality of the topic, many posts did not include campaign-specific hashtags. Our data showed that nearly 50% of the social media discussions lacked hashtags, which may have limited their reach.
Most Used Hashtags:
- #DeathOfDuo
- #SaveDuo
- #Duolingo
- #JusticeForDuo
- #DuoIsWatching
Actionable Insight: Encouraging branded hashtags can significantly increase discoverability. Duolingo could have promoted a specific hashtag to centralize engagement and track discussions more effectively.
3. Posting trends over time
Our analysis showed major spikes in engagement on specific days, especially when Duolingo posted cryptic teasers and interactive content.
- The highest engagement occurred on the campaign’s launch day.
- A secondary peak happened when influencers and meme pages joined the discussion.
Actionable insight: Brands can maximize campaign impact by strategically timing their posts around audience activity peaks. Scheduling interactive content during peak engagement can sustain momentum.
4. Top contributors
A small but highly active group of users drove the majority of the engagement. Influencers, language enthusiasts, and meme accounts contributed heavily to the discussion.
Top contributors Included:
- Popular Twitter meme pages
- Duolingo’s official accounts
- Influencers specializing in language learning
- Long-time Duolingo users voicing their reactions
Actionable insight: Brands should identify and engage with top contributors to amplify their messaging. Collaborating with influencers can enhance brand loyalty and reach.
5. Keyword analysis: What were people talking about?
Our keyword analysis uncovered recurring themes in user discussions. The most frequently used words included:
- “Duo”
- “Owl”
- “Murder”
- “Language”
- “Justice”
Actionable insight: Understanding trending keywords helps brands shape their messaging and anticipate audience reactions. In this case, humorous and dramatic language played a key role in engagement.
Sentiment analysis: How did people feel about “Death of Duo”?
We conducted sentiment analysis to categorize posts into three primary groups: positive, neutral, and negative.
- Positive: 620 posts – Users embraced the humor, engaged with memes, and appreciated Duolingo’s creativity.
- Neutral: 360 posts – These posts included factual updates, questions, or general observations.
- Negative: 345 posts – Some users expressed frustration, misunderstanding, or concerns about brand messaging.
Actionable insight: While sentiment was largely positive, the notable percentage of negative reactions suggests that brands must anticipate mixed responses when launching unconventional campaigns. Monitoring sentiment in real time allows for timely interventions.
Sentiment breakdown by platform
Our platform-based analysis revealed differences in sentiment depending on where users engaged:
- Twitter/X: Had the most engagement, with a balanced mix of humor and concern.
- Reddit: More detailed discussions, with mixed reactions about the campaign’s effectiveness.
- Instagram: Primarily meme-based, mostly positive engagement.
- TikTok: High virality, with trending videos either celebrating or critiquing the campaign.
Actionable insight: Brands should tailor their engagement strategy per platform. For instance, meme-based campaigns thrive on Instagram and TikTok, while Twitter requires a balance of humor and clarity.
Conclusion
The “Death of Duo” campaign serves as a compelling case study in viral marketing and social media engagement. This analysis provides insights into how brands can optimize their social media strategy:
- Use multiple content formats (text, images, videos, and interactive elements) to maximize engagement.
- Encourage hashtag usage to track and amplify conversations.
- Time posts strategically to capitalize on audience engagement trends.
- Leverage influencers and active contributors to enhance reach.
- Monitor sentiment actively and address negative reactions in real-time.
By applying these strategies, brands can create successful social media campaigns that drive engagement while maintaining audience trust.
How to do Social Listening for your brand
Social media listening and sentiment analysis are essential for understanding audience engagement. Using tools like EmbedSocial, brands can:
- Create an EmbedSocial account
- Go to Sources and set up monitoring sources (hashtags, brand mentions, and platform-specific tracking).
- The system will start automatically collecting posts in the All Posts page.
- Go to Reports to download the content that is generated.
- Use the downloaded .csv file to analyze the content with AI in ChatGPT or a similar tool.
That’s it. When you run these steps, you will be able to get a very similar analysis as we did with the Duolongo campaign.
Something that required lots of time and lots of manpower. Now, it can be done with one tool in just a few minutes.
Want to stay ahead in social media trends? Try EmbedSocial today and unlock valuable audience insights.
