Duolingo’s Squid Game Season 2 partnership translates perfectly
Anyone whose been at the mercy of Duolingo’s persistent avian mascot will relate to its sinister and surreal Squid Game Season 2 partnership.
In a partnership we didn’t know we needed, Netflix and Duolingo have joined forces for Squid Game Season 2, with a Korean language learning campaign that’s impressively conceived, and multilayered.
It’s not all as tenuous as you might think however. Following the first season's debut in 2021, Duolingo reported a 40% surge in Korean learners, highlighting the global appeal of Korean media. Netflix's VP of partner and brand marketing, Magno Herran, noted that embracing non-English content, which comprised 13% of U.S. viewing hours in 2023, is central to Netflix's strategy.
Titled ‘Learn Korean or Else’, the campaign borrows the look and feel of the dystopian series while featuring Duolingo's language-learning mascots and iconography, which will be familiar to anyone who’s used the language app.
The partnership’s most memorable offshoot is a surreal yet on-point music release, which can also be found on Spotify. As part of the campaign, Duolingo’s mascot, Duo, takes on the role of a ‘Pink Guard’ in promotional stunts, urging fans to stay on top of their lessons.
The collaboration also adds over 40 Squid Game-themed phrases to Duolingo's Korean course, allowing learners to immerse themselves in the language of the series.
The campaign extends beyond the app with high-profile advertising. Cryptic billboards in Los Angeles and New York City’s Koreatown tease the collaboration, while a cinematic teaser directed by Warren Fu brings the campaign to life.
Our take
On the back of McDonald’s Squid Game meal promotion this week, you’d think we’d be all Squid Gamed-out. The on-point creative tie-ins keep on giving however.
We love how Duolingo committed fully to its high-concept exploration of Squid Game’s distinctive world. The sinister-yet-cute take on the mascot, Duo, feels amusingly on point - as someone who’s been shamed and coaxed by the bird in question into learning Portugese.
If you enjoyed this article, you can subscribe for free to our weekly email alert and receive a regular curation of the best creative campaigns by creatives themselves.
Published on: