Why an app bought 2 motion studios? Amazing motion work ~ (5 min read)

Yes, the green bird one. How Duolingo it's being amazing in their use of motion.

When we try to think in apps that really push motion apart from their interaction, but pretty much on every instance they can. We surely put this one as top of the ranking.

Duolingo is being amazing in their use of motion, and that is why I’ve already talked about it a few times on my Linkedin posts.

And recently, they bought their 2nd motion design studio in 2 years, to keep being great about it.

Let’s get into it.

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Going the Duolingo way into motion

Duolingo, known for its popular language-learning app, has made a name for itself by making education accessible and enjoyable. "Learning with Duolingo is fun, and research shows that it works! With quick, bite-sized lessons, you’ll earn points and unlock new levels while gaining real-world communication skills." as they say.

Their unique approach to branding includes vibrant illustrations, playful characters, and high-quality animations that bring the app to life.

For Duolingo, design and motion are key to making learning both fun and effective.

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Duolingo uses motion to make every interaction with the app feel lively. Everything you touch feels alive, making the user experience dynamic and immersive. This keeps users engaged and motivated throughout their learning journey.

Live animation in their website.

Characters that just stand out

Duolingo has also been creating a family of characters with unique designs and behaviors. These characters not only look great but also move in their own ways. Pushing their personality to be more unique.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Duolingo starts making full-length feature films with these characters one day.

And lately…

In recent years, Duolingo has been working hard to make their app even better and more… Well, fun.

In 2022, they bought Gunner, a Detroit-based animation studio, after working with them for two years on projects like Duolingo ABC. All 15 Gunner employees joined Duolingo and continued their work from Detroit.

Recently, Duolingo also bought Hobbes, another studio from Detroit. Hobbes is known for its work in motion design, which they use in digital products and new technologies. This added 12 new members to Duolingo’s design team, making their Detroit office much bigger.

Gunner (left) joined in 2022 and Hobbes (right) joined in 2024. These were they respective IG animations announcing the acquisition.

Before getting into the animation

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Commitment to quality

These purchases show Duolingo’s commitment to using high-quality motion design in their educational products. By adding talented (really talented) animation teams, Duolingo aims to make learning more engaging and enjoyable.

The new team members from Gunner and Hobbes will help for sure make the app more interactive and fun to use, making language learning more effective and enjoyable.

I remember seeing many of the work Hobbes was doing in their experimentation with interactive tools.

And by the way, if you want to check more of what the In House team at Duolingo is doing, check it on their own dedicated Instagram page.

Their commitment to high production values can be seen in their short films, like the one as a ‘behind-the-scenes’ of notifications. This short film, inspired by "Inside Out," shows Duolingo’s ability to produce top-quality animated content that captivates audiences.

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From my review of Duolingo's projects

It’s clear that they enhance their marketing pieces with detailed character animations. Each character has its own unique world, similar to the "Dumb Ways to Die" campaign.

The careful use of animation principles makes Duolingo’s content feel truly alive.

Project done by Le Cube

Using principles like squash and stretch, follow-through, and anticipation, makes their characters lively and expressive.

Secondary movements and flexible designs make every interaction engaging and interactive, enhancing the overall user experience.

And actually I’ve recorded some notes when I was watching some of their work.

*Do you think this type of notes are good? Let me know in the comments (or reply to this email)

I actually try to check out on projects and ask me questions about why they are good. And created a worksheet so you can test it out.

Which you can download here.

Thank you for reading this issue of the Motion Social Club newsletter. Stay tuned for more insights and updates of more content.

Have a great week!