NEW YORK — HBO is set to make a comeback this summer through a rebranding initiative by Warner Bros. Discovery, reviving its status in the streaming realm. The company announced Wednesday that its current streaming service, known as Max, will be renamed HBO Max.
The name Max was first adopted following Warner’s merger with Discovery, raising eyebrows due to its associations with the less acclaimed Cinemax network, as opposed to the industry’s high esteem for the HBO brand. Two years have passed since that decision, and the company has chosen to revert to the more familiar HBO Max name, which had been used by Warner prior to its merger with Discovery. While the leadership did not explicitly label the previous name change as an error, the new branding announcement was met with enthusiasm during a presentation to advertisers.
David Zaslav, the President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, emphasized the strategic value of the HBO brand, stating, “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.”
HBO executive Casey Bloys humorously mentioned to advertisers that he now has a stockpile of old stationery featuring the HBO Max branding that can be put to use once again, a nod to the legacy and enduring appeal of the HBO name.