Duolingo's Halloween campaign takes over Shanghai

The campaign pays tribute to Duolingo’s infamous streak, the count of consecutive days a user engages with the app, which ruthlessly resets to zero if a lesson isn’t completed within a day, unless a streak freeze is activated in advance.

It all started in Fred & Farid Shanghai's in-house studio with the creation of Duo's costume, a spooky DIY skeleton with neon lights. The goal was to bring the brand’s sassy green owl to life on a budget, amplifying its persona and connection with the real world.

And like local authorities who patrolled the downtown streets over the weekend to prevent rowdy Halloween celebrations in China's most international city, Duolingo too are haunting every party, reminding everyone to open the app and keep their streaks alive.

The challenge is simple: Duolingo invite every Halloween partygoer in the streets of Shanghai to show us their ongoing streak or complete it in front of DUO Skeleton himself if they've forgotten (to err is human, after all). We might be the ultimate party crasher, but they'll thank Duolingo in the morning, because when the party ends, learning goes on.

Trick or Streak is taking to the streets of Shanghai and spreading nationwide on social media, particularly on Douyin (TikTok's local counterpart) and the popular lifestyle platform RED.

Fred & Farid Shanghai has been chosen by Duolingo, the world's leading language-learning platform, to orchestrate its social media strategy, content creation, and community management for the Chinese market following a competitive pitch process.

Boasting over 100 million monthly active users, Duolingo has revolutionised language education with its gamified approach, offering courses in more than 40 languages and making learning accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds globally. As China's language learning market experiences robust growth in 2024, this strategic partnership signals Duolingo's commitment to expanding its footprint and engagement across China's dominant social platforms, with a primary focus on Douyin (TikTok's local counterpart) and the popular lifestyle platform RED.

Fred & Farid Shanghai has assembled a dedicated team from its social media and influence division. These experts are poised to amplify Duolingo's brand presence in China with a tailored approach, particularly on Douyin. The agency's strategy aligns Duolingo's global brand voice with content that resonates profoundly with Chinese audiences. By leveraging news-jacking, trending topics on Douyin, and key cultural moments in the Chinese calendar, Fred & Farid Shanghai creates content that is witty, hilarious and at times weird, while maintaining the sassy and engaging spirit