John Oliver Compares HBO Max/Max Branding Fiasco to Trump’s Renaming the Gulf of Mexico

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Everyone, including John Oliver, finds themselves equally puzzled by Warner Bros. Discovery’s recent decision to change Max back to HBO Max after only two years.

On last Sunday’s episode of “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” on Max/HBO Max, I found myself listening to John’s take on President Trump’s conflict with the media. He mentioned an intriguing incident where the White House restricted access to the Associated Press for persistently using ‘Gulf of Mexico‘ instead of ‘Gulf of America,’ which is the term Trump has insisted upon.

“It can take time for people to adjust to a stupid name change,” Oliver observed.

In a fan’s perspective, I can’t help but lament the evolution of HBO’s names. You know, sometimes we grow accustomed to one seemingly silly name, and just when we’re getting comfortable, a brilliant mind comes up with something even more perplexing – enter HBO Now. Then it gets even more confusing with HBO Max, and against all odds, it becomes even harder to remember. And

Additionally, it was mentioned that executives from Warner Bros. Discovery were eagerly expecting Oliver’s reaction – they even referred to it as a captivating moment for viewers. At the media conglomerate’s May 14 upfront event, Shauna Spenley, head of streaming marketing, playfully commented about Oliver’s anticipated analysis on the rebrand, saying, “We are really looking forward to his perspective on this entire transformation. We believe it will be quite intriguing.” During her presentation, an image of Oliver with his face down on a desk was displayed on the theater’s large screen.

Oliver reacted dramatically, feigning anger: “Look at me directly as I say this emphatically: I take extreme offense to your suggestion. I will not comply with your instructions; I have no intention of doing so.

Oliver replied, ‘It seemed as though you intended that tactic to deter me, but on second thought, I find it hard to believe a firm could devise such a plan when they’ve been responsible for creating so many seemingly foolish names.’

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

We’ve experienced remarkable growth in our global streaming service due to the caliber of our content. Now, we’re reintroducing HBO, the symbol of premier quality in media, to boost that growth even further in the coming years.

Previously, Oliver has criticized those who provide him with support, specifically over a decision made by his corporate leaders in 2023 to rebrand their streaming service by dropping the “HBO” name and incorporating thousands of hours of content from Discovery’s networks. After the announcement of the new brand name, Max, Oliver expressed his disapproval to his audience, stating, “Our parent company has escalated its content purge and tossed HBO aside.” The following week, he humorously proposed a new slogan for Max: “Are you a fan of HBO but also enjoy ads, and maybe even the ‘Property Brothers,’ but not so much HBO? Then Max is perfect for you! Here’s entertainment in witnessing a company’s demise!

In February 2024, Oliver openly voiced his annoyance towards WBD’s plan to postpone the free release of “Last Week Tonight” episodes on YouTube to boost paid subscriptions for Max. As he stated back in the fall, he found this decision extremely frustrating and was not pleased with it at all.

In February, the episodes of “Last Week Tonight” began appearing on YouTube a short while after their initial airing on Max.

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2025-05-19 06:46