Duolingo’s popular mascot, Duo the Owl, has made a comeback following a viral marketing campaign that featured the language-learning app staging his “death” involving a Tesla Cybertruck.

The company shared a link encouraging Duolingo users to complete a language lesson to help revive the mascot.

“It’s Duo or Die!” a message on the site read. “Let’s work together to bring Duo back before it’s too late! Do a lesson now.”

The site was updated to display statistics on which countries accumulated the most experience points (XP), the currency Duolingo gives users for practising a language.

The US ranked first, followed by Germany, Brazil, China, and India.

“Duo is officially back!” the company said in a statement sent to CNduolET. “After a global effort to revive him, our favourite green owl has returned — though how he came back varies across different markets.”

The marketing stunt kicked off after the Super Bowl when Duolingo first suggested Duo’s demise, humorously claiming he had “many enemies” and had likely “died waiting for you to complete your lesson.”

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The company then organised an elaborate online memorial, selling Duo plushies in coffin-shaped boxes and encouraging users to take lessons to “revive” him.

The staged death, highlighted by a TikTok video of Duo being struck by a Tesla Cybertruck, quickly went viral. The internet was flooded with memes, with brands like Netflix, Baskin Robbins, and Cheez-Its joining in.

The singer Dua Lipa participated, posting “Til’ death Duo part” along with a broken-heart emoji, referencing her previous collaboration with the mascot.