Logo Design / Company naming
Duolingo has grown to become the world's most popular way to learn a language. In its earliest phase, the startup hired my design team to brainstorm name ideas. The founder (creator of reCAPTCHA), known for human computation problem solving with an added purpose, wanted the product name to reflect that 'dual' functionality, which led to its current name: Duolingo.
With the name in place, I created a visual identity system to set the tone for the new company: Approachable, friendly, easy to use. With the novel one-word company name, careful consideration of color and letter casing added distinction between the worded letterforms, while also assisting with pronunciation. A subtle face was crafted into the letterform, and can be used as a standalone form as needed. Meet 'Duo' the playful mascot who helps guide you through your language learning lessons. This original identity system remained in use until a rebrand in 2019.
