The news: Duolingo launched Duolingo Ads at Advertising Week New York. With more than 128 million monthly global active users, Duolingo Ads will offer brands space alongside “a beloved daily habit and cultural touchpoint.”

Duolingo wants to make ads non-intrusive and “joyful.” Duolingo Ads will let brands place original copy or other materials alongside relevant videos and images of Duolingo’s cast of “characters,” including its owl mascot—helping preserve Duolingo's branding and user experience even during ad breaks. Brands will be able to attach in-app rewards to advertisements, which Duolingo said led to ads with completion rates over 95%.

Zooming out: Duolingo is the latest in a long line of new entrants to the advertising world in 2025—including Discord, BeReal, Hewlett Packard, and more. But why now?

• We forecast that US digital advertising spending will grow 9.5% this year to $338.27 billion. While revised downward from our previous forecast, that’s still billions in spending that companies are eager to capture during a tough economic period.
• This year’s ad platform launches were likely in planning before current macroeconomic uncertainties, but following through with them now could offer companies more consistent revenues if consumer spending slows.
• Duolingo and Discord traditionally monetized via subscription offerings, but slower discretionary spending puts those revenues at risk. Through advertising, Duolingo and others can increase revenues simply by increasing time spent on their platforms.

Yes, but: The advertising spigot might take years to reach a significant flow. Even though advertising revenues are dependent on consumer spending, current economic conditions mean advertisers will prioritize familiar, high-return-on-investment channels over newer ad platforms.

What this means for brands: Duolingo’s ad launch marries its own branding and in-app experience with outside advertising, allowing brands to create advertisements that may feel less intrusive.

But it also highlights the flurry of new entrants in the digital advertising market in recent months, requiring brands to broaden their approach even amid macroeconomic uncertainty to make the most of new opportunities.