HBO subscribers have been left feeling dizzy after Warner Bros. announced that its streaming service Max will return to its original name, HBO Max, in the summer.
The network revealed the shock reversal at its star-studded Upfront event on Wednesday, and even joked that they can’t wait to hear talk show hosts like John Oliver poke fun at the overhaul.
Despite the 180, Warner Bros. argue that returning the HBO brand into HBO Max will ‘further drive the service forward and amplify the uniqueness that subscribers can expect from the offering.’
The change comes just two years after HBO Max changed its name to just Max.
Speaking at the event held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Wednesday, Shauna Spenley, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Direct-to-Consumer, said: ‘You’re probably thinking, wow, these guys love to rebrand.
‘Well, you know, it’s been about two years so that’s roughly our track record, so right now is probably the right time.
‘And with all this momentum you’ve been hearing about, it is exactly the right time.’
She went on to add: ‘Look, we all know this industry is cluttered. Streaming has become a lot like fast fashion. People are saying, I’d rather have one great sweater than five that fall apart.
Max will soon be no more… as Warner Bros. confirm the return of HBO Max this summer
HBO Max is set to return in just a few months after the streamer went by Max for two years
‘The desire for cheap, long-form episodic is waning, so when we think about our competitive advantage, it’s the same one that we’ve had at HBO for last 50 years. And I feel incredibly lucky and proud to bring it home this summer.’
Perhaps, unsurprisingly, subscribers have been left scratching their heads over the U-turn and many have questioned why the streamer ever changed its name in the first place.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one wrote: ‘So they realized getting rid of the HBO name was a dumb idea.’
Another said: ‘When they inevitably go bankrupt the audit will reveal that the reason hinges on the costs of the many, many, many unnecessary branding changes.’
‘They can’t keep doing this!’ begged a third.
A fourth continued: ‘Seriously, how much did that consulting firm make just to suggest changing it to Max and then back to HBO Max? What a loop.’
‘What was the point of changing names then?’ asked another user.
A sixth added: ‘What’s going on here?’
Subscribers have been left scratching their heads over the U-turn on social media
Shauna Spenley, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Direct-to-Consumer acknowledged the back and forth at the Warner Bros. Upfront
HBO Max dropped HBO from its brand name in 2023 in a divisive move.
At the time, executives said HBO would be preserved as a brand within the Max fold, but that the re-branded service is designed to highlight child-friendly offerings.
HBO is ‘a brand that has been built over five decades’ to stand for ‘edgy, groundbreaking entertainment for adults,’ said JB Perrette, president and CEO of global streaming and games for WBD said at the time.
‘But it’s not exactly where parents would most eagerly drop off their kids.
‘And yet Warner Bros. Discovery has some of the best-known kids’ characters, animation and brands in the industry. Not surprisingly, the category has not met its true potential on HBO Max.’
