Gen Z workers in China are struggling with burnout and anxiety, making the idea of quitting, switching careers, or starting over highly relatable. Fred & Farid China has “read the room”, picking up on the work culture trend to launch Duo’s Great Resignation, an announcement that the famous Duolingo mascot had resigned.

The idea resonated immediately – with millions of views, hundreds of thousands of likes, and thousands of reposts. More than 300 brands were included in those that joined the conversation, with playful job offers for Duo, from international names such as SUBWAY, Burger King, FILA, Unilever, HP, and Buick as well as domestic brands including Meituan, Haidilao, Tencent, Honor, JD.com, and Yili. A very fortuitous side effect of the campaign for the brand. Duo was suddenly being “hired” for everything from delivery gigs to CEO roles.

Then Duolingo and Fred & Farid Shanghai pushed the idea further. Instead of leaving it as a social joke, they converted the fictional job offers received by Duo into real opportunities for young people. The campaign generated more than 108 million social impressions, 100,000 in-app engagements, over 150 press articles, and 300+ job offers. The idea that tapped into current culture did so much more than entertain its audience. It created something helpful for them.