Max Getting Rebranded As… HBO Max

After first launching as HBO Max in 2020 and then rebranding to just Max two years ago in May 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery has announced they’re planning to revert their streamer back to the original HBO Max name starting this Summer.

Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav announced the news as part of his company’s upfront presentation to advertisers this morning.

In a press release issued at the same time, the company called the rebranding an ‘evolution’ that comes after Max paired down its content offering – pulling hundreds of hours of Discovery-branded reality shows.

That content removal was done after the company decided to “de-prioritize other genres that drive less engagement or acquisition”. In other words, it sounds like most Max subscribers didn’t care for much Discovery content – opting for titles like “The Last of Us,” “The White Lotus” and “The Righteous Gemstones” over “90 Day Fiance” and “Naked and Afraid”. They say in the release:

“No consumer today is saying they want more content, but most consumers are saying they want better content. With other services filling the more basic needs with volume, WBD has clearly distinguished itself through its quality and distinct stories, and no brand has done that better and more consistently over 50+ years than HBO.”

The company adds this decision is 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.”

Source: Vulture

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