Streaming service Max has reverted back to its original name, HBO Max, effective on July 9.
I’m confused. And I bet you are also.
Launched in May 2020, HBO Max did what any logical marketer would do. It had HBO in the title to accentuate the HBO brand, which for the new streaming service included content from HBO, Warner Bros., and other WarnerMedia properties. Wouldn’t you want to be affiliated with the HBO?
Then, in 2023, following the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc., the service was rebranded as simply Max for reasons unknown to this writer or anyone else.
Now, the streaming service’s website and mobile apps display the HBO Max branding once again. Max.com redirects to hbomax.com, while both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store have updated their listings. The change, perhaps, is driven by Warner Bros. Discovery’s recognition of the value of the HBO brand and a desire to refocus on high-quality content, rather than trying to compete on sheer volume of content. But is it beneficial to mess with the heads of the consumers who don’t know what to call this?
Historically, changing the name of a platform typically has no impact. Remember when ABC Family became Freeform? Or Sci-Fi Channel became Syfy? Or, deep breath, Nashville Network (TNN) to The New TNN to Spike TV to Spike to Paramount Network?
In June, meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery announced it was splitting into two companies. The first the HBO Max streaming service and Warner Bros. movie studio; and the second consists of the TV networks, including CNN, HGTV, TBS, truTV and TNT. This move, which is expected to be completed in 2026, is intended to address the declining linear cable networks and focus on the growth potential of streaming and studio operations.