HBO Max Is Back: When Brands Retreat To Their Original Names
Warner Bros. Discovery just announced what at least a few branding experts saw coming: the streaming service known as Max is reverting to its previous name, HBO Max. This is the fifth name change for the company's streaming service, having cycled through HBO Go (2008), HBO Now (2015), HBO Max (2020), Max (2023), and now HBO Max again (2025).
The company's reasoning for the original change from HBO Max to just "Max" seemed logical enough at the time. In 2023, executives worried that the HBO brand – long associated with premium adult content – might not be the right anchor for a general entertainment streaming service that included reality shows from Discovery's portfolio. They feared these shows might "water down" the prestigious HBO brand.
According to the New York Times, the reality was simpler than marketing theory. Subscribers paying $17 monthly for Max were primarily watching HBO content like The White Lotus and The Last of Us, along with new movies and documentaries – not the Discovery reality show catalog.
"It really is a reaction to being in the marketplace for two years, evaluating what's working and really leaning into that," Casey Bloys, HBO content chairman, explained.
In other words, the HBO brand continued to be the real draw for subscribers. The 2023 rebrand to "Max" had mainly caused confusion among both industry insiders and consumers. People wondered if HBO was being phased out or diminished, the opposite of what the company intended.
This reversal highlights a crucial lesson many brands learn the hard way: sometimes your established brand equity is more valuable than you realize.
Warner Bros. Discovery isn't the first major company to retreat to a previous brand identity after a failed rebrand. In fact, they're joining a distinguished club of brand "boomerangs" – companies that tried new names only to return to their roots:
Coca-Cola (1985): In what's often called the biggest marketing blunder of the 20th century, Coca-Cola abandoned its classic formula and branding for "New Coke." After just 79 days of consumer protests and backlash, the company brought back the original as "Coca-Cola Classic." The lesson? Don't mess with a brand that's deeply embedded in consumer hearts and memories.
Tribune Publishing → tronc → Tribune Publishing (2016-2018): The venerable newspaper company bizarrely rebranded itself as "tronc" (with a lowercase 't', short for "Tribune Online Content") in 2016. The rebrand became an immediate laughingstock, described by critics as out-of-touch corporate jargon. After two painful years, the company dropped the silly name and restored its respected Tribune Publishing identity.
SurveyMonkey → Momentive → SurveyMonkey (2021-2023): The online survey provider rebranded as "Momentive" in 2021 to appear more enterprise-ready and shed its playful image. After two years, they discovered their brand recognition was too strong to abandon. The Momentive name only caused confusion, and the company reverted to SurveyMonkey in 2023, admitting the original name had more customer recognition and trust.
Warner Bros. Discovery's struggle to find the right identity for its streaming service reflects a larger challenge many traditional companies face: how to transition cherished legacy brands into the modern era without losing what made them special.
The HBO brand has exceptional value – it stands for quality, prestige, and innovation. Removing it from the service name diluted that value rather than expanding the service's appeal. What Warner Bros. Discovery now seems to understand is that HBO isn't just a content provider within their streaming service. Rather, it's the primary reason people subscribe.
What can marketing leaders learn from this latest brand reversal?
Bloys summed up the challenge well, noting that the transition to streaming has been tricky for many cable companies. HBO "and a bunch of other companies are trying to navigate that," he said, before adding hopefully, "That said, I do hope this is the last time we have a conversation about the naming of the service."
Don't we all.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
3 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
5 best new movies to stream this weekend on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and more
We're in the thick of summer, and I don't know about you, but I'd rather stay in and enjoy some movies than get cooked by this heat outside. The best streaming services are making that decision even easier with tons of new films to keep you entertained. So say goodbye to sunblock and hello to that glorious, glorious AC! Netflix is back with a double feature of original movies this week: the crime thriller "Night Always Comes," which seems a surefire hit for fans of Tyler Perry's "Straw," and the raunchy R-rated animated comedy "Fixed." Meanwhile, HBO Max has a more family-friendly adventure with "The Legend of Ochi," and you can check out Ari Aster's polarizing new Western comedy "Eddington" on paid video on-demand platforms. What's caught my eye the most, though, is "It Feeds" on Hulu, a horror movie in the same vein as "It Follows" and "Insidious" that'll probably haunt my nightmares for weeks. So without further ado, let's dive into the best new moves on streaming to add to your watchlist. If none of these strike your fancy, be sure to check out our guide to the top new TV shows this week, too. I wasn't a fan of director Ari Aster's last movie, "Beau is Afraid," but his latest "Eddington" had a promising enough premise — a neo-Western dark comedy set within the early days of COVID-19 — to pique my interest. Plus it has Pedro Pascal, and who doesn't love Pedro Pascal? While "Eddington" doesn't reach the same heights as Aster's early horror hits like "Hereditary" and "Midsommar," I still enjoyed it well enough. It's a hilarious and unflinching reflection of the divisiveness tearing America apart that takes surprising care to humanize both sides. Either Joaquin Phoenix's anti-mask sheriff Joe Cross or Pascal's liberal mayor Ted Garcia could have easily devolved into caricature, but instead are painted as good-meaning though flawed people doing their best. Without getting into spoiler territory, my biggest gripe is how the third act takes a hard pivot toward horror, which it doesn't really land, and ends things on a confusing note. Buy or rent now on Prime Video or Apple Genndy Tartakovsky is the visionary animator behind shows like 'Samurai Jack,' "Star Wars: Clone Wars," and 'Primal." Netflix's new animated comedy "Fixed" is his decades-long passion project realized. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. But don't mistake this for family-friendly entertainment just because it has cartoon dogs — "Fixed" earns its R rating with plenty of crude humor, sexual innuendo, and horny canine shenanigans. Think more "Fritz the Cat" than "All Dogs Go to Heaven." The story follows a mutt named Bull (Adam DeVine), who has a midlife crisis when he learns he's scheduled to be neutered the next morning. Determined to go out with a bang instead of a whimper, he sets off with his friends, a boxer named Rocco (Idris Elba) and dachshund Fetch (Fred Armisen), on one last wild romp to sow his oats before he gets the snip. It's a doggie road trip film in the vein of "The Hangover" with the expressive animation of classic Looney Tunes, especially the work of Tex Avery. Watch it now on Netflix For an actually family-friendly movie this weekend, Isaiah Saxon's "The Legend of Ochi" is worth checking out instead. This A24 adventure whisks us away to a quiet village on the island of Carpathia, where Yuri (Helena Zengel), a young girl taught to fear the mysterious creatures known as Ochi, stumbles upon an injured baby that's been left behind by his own kind. Determined to return him to his home, she sets off on a journey that changes her life forever. Don't be fooled by its cute critters, though. While it packs plenty of whimsy and wonder, "The Legend of Ochi" also goes to pretty dark places with some emotionally weighty moments, making it more suitable for older kiddos. A middling 76% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes suggests it hasn't won over everyone, though there's been plenty of praise for the design of its titular creatures. The Ochis are brought to life through old-school puppetry rather than CGI, giving the film a retro charm that'll take parents back to the (also weirdly dark) children's movie staples of the '80s and '90s. Watch it now on HBO Max Netflix has been knocking it out of the park with its original movie lineup this summer, and its latest crime thriller "Night Always Comes" has all the makings of another standout hit. It's giving me big "Straw" vibes. Oscar nominee and "Fantastic Four" star Vanessa Kirby plays a woman in a race against time in a last-ditch effort to save her family's home. The catch? She has just one night to come up with $25,000. As the hours tick down, she hunts down old debts, clinging to the hope it'll be enough to keep a roof over her family's heads. New threats, old ghosts, and risky schemes threaten to break her in a compelling tale about the cost of security and the desperate extremes we'll go to grasp it. "Night Always Comes" also boasts a star-studded ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julia Fox, and Michael Kelly. Watch it now on Netflix Horror movies so rarely get their due from critics that anytime one manages a solid score on Rotten Tomatoes, I tend to add it to my watchlist. That's how "It Feeds" landed on my radar after earning an impressive 88%, and it looks like another winner in what's already been a stellar year for horror movies. The story follows Cynthia (Ashley Greene), a psychic psychiatrist struggling to raise her young daughter, Jordan (Ellie O'Brien) as she wrestles with her own demons. When a young girl (Shayelin Martin) bursts into their home, claiming a malevolent entity is feeding on her, it's up to the mother-daughter duo to find a way to banish the entity before it completely consumes her. "It Feeds" seems like a cross between "It Follows" and "Insidious," which are two of my favorite horror movies, so this is definitely one worth checking out if that's your taste. Watch it now on Hulu Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
The 1 Ingredient Laila Ali Felt Challenged by While Competing on 'Chopped' (Exclusive)
The home chef appeared and won on two occasions on the cooking competition show NEED TO KNOW Laila Ali calls Chopped "one of the hardest things" she's ever done The retired professional boxer recalls being challenged to cook a smoked pig's head and two baby lambs during her time on Chopped Ali hosts new rivalry-based cooking competition show, Chef Grudge Match, appearing on Food Network and streaming next day on HBO Max Laila Ali is a multi-title-holding champion, but there were a couple of moments during her seasons on Chopped that had the champ almost throwing in the towel. During an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the TV personality and retired professional boxer spoke about the new cooking competition show, Chef Grudge Match, that she'll be hosting. During each episode, two rival chefs are pitted against each other in head-to-head battles for a $10,000 cash prize, the losing chef's most coveted knife and lifelong bragging rights. Reflecting on her own time in the kitchen — having appeared on Chopped in two seasons and Beat Bobby Flay — Ali admits some challenges even had her momentarily stumped. 'There have definitely been some [challenges where] I was just like, 'Man, I wouldn't want to have to work with that,' ' she admits. Calling Chopped 'one of the hardest things I've ever done,' the Laila Ali Lifestyle founder recalls the two occasions where she had to work with a whole pig's head and two full–bodied baby lambs. 'They gave us a smoked pig's head, the whole head. I opened that basket, and there was a smoked pig's head in the basket,' she says. 'I don't even eat pork like that…So I'm like, 'What am I supposed to do with this?' ' She adds, 'They gave me two baby lambs that needed to be butchered. I was stunned for like three minutes before I could even figure out what to do. I just looked to my left, because at that point, I was competing against a Chopped judge, an Iron Chef [Scott Conant]. I was totally out of my weight class.' Of course, like the 'true competitor' she is, she says she saw the professional chef butchering, so she began to do the same. 'There's always something, but there's a way to overcome. Just got to stay focused,' says Ali. Despite the struggles, Ali ultimately won her seasons of Chopped, being crowned a champion once again. Will she competitively get in the kitchen again any time soon? 'Yeah, no, I'm good,' says Ali with a laugh. 'I think I'm done competing. I'm done competing in the kitchen. I'm going to take my wins and go home.' Chef Grudge Match will premiere on Aug. 12 at 9 p.m. ET on Food Network and streams next day on HBO Max. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
HBO Aims To Loomerize Laura Loomer Over Deposition Leak & Posts In Bill Maher Defamation Suit
Gavin Newsom wants to fight 'fire with fire' when it comes to Donald Trump and attacks on American democracy, but HBO and Bill Maher just want Laura Loomer to stop talking and posting. Good luck. More from Deadline Networks Plan Special Reports And Dispatch Anchors To Donald Trump-Vladimir Putin Summit PBS To Cut Budget By 21% Following Public Media's Loss Of Federal Funding Denée Benton Talks Being The Belle Of The Ball In 'The Gilded Age' Season 3 Finale 'It has come to Defendants' attention that after Plaintiff needlessly filed her deposition on the public docket as part of unrelated objections, a copy of the unsealed exhibit was made available on the website CourtListener,' HBO declared to Florida-based federal Judge James Moody in a filing on August 13, a couple weeks after Loomer's scorching sit-down with the outlet and Maher's lawyer Katherine Bolger and others was leaked. HBO are accusing the hot button Rumble host of stepping way over the line online with the federal courts by talking about her deposition, which was not intended to be made public. A leak that Loomer, who sued HBO and Maher for defamation and $150 million in October 2024, took the time to comment on, as HBO's Davis Wright Tremaine LLP and Shullman Fugate PLLC attorneys noted: 'Since yesterday, Plaintiff has Tweeted about this deposition three times in contravention of the Court's Order.' This all started on September 22, 2024 when Maher postulated on-air that Trump and Loomer were having a fling. Specifically, the host resurrected his who is Trump the 'f*cking' quip and replied to himself 'I think it might be Laura Loomer.' In Maher's logic, and in search of an easy laugh, that's why the far right activist had so much pull with the then GOP candidate. In her leaked deposition, which leaked online last month, Loomer says the blast radius of Trump onetime dinner companion Maher's remark left her 'smeared as a whore and as a groupie.' 'Bill Maher has no understanding of my personal life,' Loomer went on to say in the now resealed depo. 'He was reckless with the regard to the fact that I have a boyfriend. And he has no evidence that I had sex with President Trump. It's just outrageous. And so as it relates to my situation, yes, it's defamatory.' This week, in a sideshow that will likely not make it into Maher's Real Time monologue tonight, HBO want Judge Moody to shut Loomer and the leaks down. In that context, two of Loomer's tweets from August 12 directly referenced her contention in the deposition that she had been previous told by 'several of President Trump's staff have told me in confidence that Lindsey Graham is gay.' As well as hitting frequent foe Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-FL) and Arby's (won't go there, look it up), Loomer punched way up on the long time South Carolina Senator and Trump loyalist to a fault. On Thursday, Loomer's lawyer Larry Klayman essentially told HBO and Maher to take a long walk off a short legal pier. 'The tweets that Defendants reference that were made by Plaintiff Ms. Loomer actually show that she did not disclose or reveal any information in the sealed deposition,' the Judicial Watch founder said in his August 14 filing. 'Ms. Loomer simply responded innocuously to inquiries posed by persons whohad gained access to the deposition transcript through their own means. Thus, the bottom line is that she did not 'use' any of her deposition or discovery.' Klayman ends his filing popping HBO and Maher on the nose for leaning into the leaked deposition and Loomer's tweets. He calls it simply a scheme to 'drive up time, cost, and expense with a manufactured nonissue.' Reps for HBO and Bill Maher did not respond to Deadline's request for comment on the latest legal flurry. Love her, hate her, fear her, or just wish she would leave you alone, Trump's self-declared MAGA 'loyalty enforcer' Loomer has proven a power player in Trump's DC. While she has no official gig in the administration, which Loomer says is in no small part due to Maher's comments about her and Trump,, among her alleged victims so far have been National Security Council and CIA staffers, and some of RFK Jr's staff – though White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles had at least one MAHA team member rehired. On Thursday, HBO and Maher's lawyers were back in the court docket pushing Judge Moody to get Loomer and Klayman to hand over documents required for the soon-to-end discovery. They also questioned Loomer to provide some evidence of 'a single social relationship that has been harmed' by Maher's sharp statement. Perhaps more importantly, HBO and Maher want Loomer 'to identify any individual she contends was led by Defendants' statement to mistakenly believe that she and President Trump engaged in a sexual relationship.' Or put another way: 'Plaintiff argues that her sitting for a deposition somehow alleviates her of her obligation to produce responsive documents and answer interrogatories. That is not the law. Parties do not get to pick and choose which discovery vehicles they prefer to engage with.' Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Emmys, Oscars, Grammys & More Everything We Know About Prime Video's 'Legally Blonde' Prequel Series 'Elle'
