Warner Bros. Discovery again changes the name of its streaming service.
You will never guess what its leaders have proposed.
Originally, the service was launched under the name of HBO Max in 2020.
In 2023, the company controversially changed the streaming service for simply Max – abandoning the most venerated network brand name on television in favor of the most popular name for male dogs.
On Wednesday, the initial presentation of the company in New York at Madison Square Garden, the president and chief executive officer of WBD, David Zas, said that the name will change again … back to HBO Max.
“The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming,” Zaslav said in a statement. “Today, we bring back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in the media, to further accelerate this growth in the years to come.”
The president and chief executive officer of HBO and the Max content added Casey Bloys: “With the course on which we are and the strong momentum that we appreciate, we think that HBO Max represents much better our current consumption proposal. And it clearly indicates our implicit promise to provide content which is recognized as unique and, to steal a line that we have always said to HBO, which is worth paying. ”
Thirty minutes after the discovery of Wednesday Bros. Discovery, Bloys revealed the name change to media buyers. The news was met with laughter, light applause and exactly a whistle. Bloys followed with a solid joke: “I know you are all shocked, but the good news is that I have a drawer full of stationery of the last time.”
The company also explained the move in a declaration by noting – in what looks like a clear blow to the Netflix industry leader – “This development has been influenced by the modification of consumer needs, and the fact that no consumer today says that they want more content, but most consumers say they want better content. With other services, the more basic needs with volume, WBD has clearly removed years and its quality and its brand.
Following the declaration: “The return of the HBO brand to HBO Max will further advance the service and will amplify the unique nature that subscribers can expect from the offer. It is also a testimony to WBD’s desire to continue iteratively in iteration of its strategy and its approach – strongly leaning on the data and the prospects of consumers – to the best positioning itself for success. ”
The history of the streaming service is actually even more tangled if you look at the first efforts to bring HBO content streaming, because HBO Max replaced an SVOD service entitled HBO Now and an emerging streaming service for cable subscribers called HBO Go. So, in a sense, watching the content of the business on demand is from HBO now to HBO Max.
Recognizing the inherent humor of the situation, the Warners’ press package for the announcement included a meme of FriendsRoss declaring famous: “We were in break!”
Here is the new logo:
This decision follows WBD framing its streaming activities as a growth engine in its report on the first quarter of 2025 last week, beating Wall Street expectations. The company had added 5.3 million subscribers to a total of 122.3 million and increased streaming income from 8% to 2.7 billion dollars and adjusted EBITDA to $ 339 million.
During a call for results with analysts, Zaslav reported that the company was going to try to return to a less strategy, compared to a high volume supplier like Netflix.
“The idea is that it is not how much, how much we have identified something,” he said. “We are not going to flood the area. We want to tell the best stories, and we also want to enjoy all the high quality content over the years. ”
This decision is a change of return in 2023, when Zaslav underlined a width and a depth of content after announcing Max during an interview with CNBC. “By increasing the quantity of content we have on the platform – content for children, content for families, non -fictional content, food, home, the largest film library and television – by putting all this bouquet of content, we believe that the wider range of available content, that the unsubscription will descend.”
Earlier this month, Bloys reflected the previous name change during an interview with Puck. “When you come back when AT&T launched HBO Max for the first time, putting HBO that The title was controversial, “he said.” There was a lot: “Oh my god, Hbo will be next to Friends In the television library ‘… Thought at the time was that once you put HBO in the title, it defines everything that comes on the platform. »»
Following Bloys: “Even two years ago, the idea was always that we were going to be something for everyone. Everyone wanted to be the next Netflix, and it’s incredibly expensive to do it … We have accepted and understand that the majority of our subscribers at this stage will have Netflix, and we are going to have Amazon … so when someone develops their media groups. HBO programming, scripted dramas, comedies, documentaries, Pay-One films (Licensing), Library films and, basically, the Warner Bros. TV library.
And, it seems, returning to HBO Max is a result of these discussions.
Max will officially go to HBO Max this summer.
Tony Maglio contributed to this report.
