The article discusses the precarious roles of corporate mascots, highlighting the death of Duolingo's owl after a car accident. Following the incident, Duolingo encouraged fans to honor the owl by completing lessons instead of sending flowers. The trend of mascots facing dramatic events for publicity is noted, linking to past examples like Mr. Peanut's death and rebirth. Marketing experts suggest these dramatic narratives are often employed by brands to rejuvenate their image or re-engage with consumers when they lose relevance.
On Tuesday, the language-learning app Duolingo announced the owl's death, calling on people to do a Duolingo lesson in lieu of flowers.
Oftentimes, a brand will rely on something like this when they feel they need to revive or revitalize a brand or a mascot, or maybe they're kind of out of the conversation in some way.
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