In a world where brand names are meant to be iconic and memorable, rebrands are meant to be monumental occasions. However, it is rare to see things revert to something familiar, and that’s what streaming service Max is doing. Two years after switching to the Max name, the service will rebrand back to… HBO Max.
For global users who have only gotten used to the naming convention two years after the switch, the new change will feel like the type of comedy many expect from an irreverent series built on satire. This is even worse for users in Southeast Asia, with Max only just launching in November 2024.
“Returning the HBO brand into HBO Max will further drive the service forward and amplify the uniqueness that subscribers can expect from the offering. It is also a testament to WBD’s willingness to keep boldly iterating its strategy and approach, leaning heavily on consumer data and insights, to best position itself for success,” a press release said.
“The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming. Today, we are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate that growth in the years ahead,” added David Zaslav, president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery.
This latest move will see the highly recognisable brand of HBO return to its rightful place, and continues the company’s journey of rebranding its streaming service from the early days of the streaming wars. Starting with streaming service HBO Go in 2010, HBO Now was added to the mix as a subscription-based service in 2014. Six years passed before HBO Max became a thing as an independent streaming service, and the drop of HBO in the naming of that was in 2023.
“With the course we are on and strong momentum we are enjoying, we believe HBO Max far better represents our current consumer proposition. And it clearly states our implicit promise to deliver content that is recognised as unique and, to steal a line we always said at HBO, worth paying for,” added Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content.
Expect to see the new HBO Max name sometime in Summer 2025.
