Branding Experts on Decision to Flip Max Back to HBO Max: ‘A Corporate Walk of Shame’

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Warner Bros. Discovery anticipated that their decision to rename their streamer “HBO” again might spark some baffled laughter. To counteract potential ridicule, they quickly shared a series of humorous memes following the announcement, as the revamped HBO Max name is set to return this summer.

However, according to many branding professionals, WBD’s move to rebrand HBO Max as Max, following two years in existence, can be seen as an implicit admission of a significant strategic mistake. This blunder, it seems, is still causing perplexity among users.

or, more concisely:

Professionals in branding agree that WBD’s decision to revive HBO Max as Max, after two years, suggests they made a big strategic error and continue to confuse users with this choice.

Eric Schiffer, chairman of L.A.-based Reputation Management Consultants, commented that re-adding ‘HBO’ is not a rebrand but rather a symbolic walk of shame in the corporate world. He compared each ‘Max’ sign to a mark of failure, stating that removing and then re-adding it could be more expensive than what some streaming services invest in content production.

Speaking about it, Schiffer stated that by removing HBO from their streaming service name in 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery essentially erased 50 years of prestige they had built up. Now, they face the challenge of restoring what they’ve lost and paying for the consequences not once, but twice. In simpler terms, he was saying that they have a difficult task ahead of them in rebuilding their reputation and dealing with the fallout from this decision.

The most recent name adjustment aims to rectify one of the largest branding blunders in corporate America, second only to Elon Musk renaming Twitter as X, according to David Aaker, a branding expert and vice chairman at Prophet, a company offering business strategy and marketing advice. (In fact, Max’s account on the social media platform previously known as Twitter was prepared to tease Musk: “Your turn, X,” it posted on Wednesday.) Some have compared this name change from HBO Max to Max to the infamous ’80s New Coke marketing disaster.

Aaker pointed out that Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) switching from HBO Max to Max and back to HBO Max demonstrated a common mistake among corporations, which is undervaluing the expense and intricacy involved in establishing a fresh brand. In simpler terms, he stated that transitioning from HBO Max to Max represented the epitome of abandoning brand value, customer loyalty, and brand clarity.

For several years, there has been confusion about the brand identity of HBO in the streaming industry. This confusion predates the formation of Warner Bros. Discovery, which resulted from Discovery’s acquisition of WarnerMedia (formerly known as Time Warner). Initially, HBO offered the HBO Go service for pay-TV subscribers who had authenticated their accounts. Later, in 2015, they launched a standalone streaming service called HBO Now. In an attempt to clarify things, they introduced HBO Max.

Why did WBD executives decide to exclude HBO from the service’s name when it had been synonymous with top-tier premium television programming? The reasoning behind this decision was twofold. Firstly, they wanted to signify the broadened content offerings with the inclusion of thousands of hours of content from Discovery networks. This expansion, as suggested by a company presentation at the time, was expected to help HBO Max appeal more to female viewers, who were traditionally underrepresented. Secondly, they aimed to communicate that Max is suitable for all ages: HBO’s brand is associated with “adult-oriented, trailblazing entertainment,” as stated by WBD’s streaming chief JB Perrette two years ago.

Moving forward to this week, Perrette clarifies that HBO Max won’t aim to be an enormous container catering to every audience: “We will persist in emphasizing our uniqueness – not a smorgasbord of content for every household member, but exceptional content tailored specifically for adults and families.

As a film enthusiast, I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw the playful banter between WBD’s social and marketing teams and HBO Max. The @StreamOnMax account, in a clever twist, updated its bio saying, “These rebrands are trying to murder me.” They even shared a witty joke about the pope, using an image of white smoke billowing from the Warner Bros. Water Tower, hinting at the selection of a new brand. To top it off, they creatively used the Spider-Man pointing meme, replacing Spider-Man with Superman, adding a touch of humor to the ongoing rebranding saga.

UPDATE: Plumes of white vapor were spotted rising from the Warner Bros. water tower. It appears a new logo or identity has been selected.

— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 14, 2025

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2025-05-16 00:47