Max Rebrands to HBO Max: What You Need to Know

HBO Max is getting its old name back. Yep, it’s going full circle and rebranding to HBO Max, the original name it had until 2023. Warner Bros. Discovery made the big announcement, explaining that adding “HBO” back into the name will highlight what makes the service unique for its subscribers.

After the 2022 merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc., the name change to “Max” was meant to show a wider variety of shows and indicate more family-friendly content. But that change didn’t quite hit the mark, even as shows like The White Lotus and The Last of Us drew in viewers. Warner Bros. Discovery reports that they gained 22 million subscribers this past year and they hope that changing the name back will keep that momentum going.

The company says that they are always open to trying new strategies to evolve and improve, leaning on data and feedback from consumers to position themselves for success. Upon announcing the name change, there was a wave of social media humor surrounding the rebrand, with Max even poking fun at itself. They updated their bio and shared memes, gifs, and celeb reactions to the name shake-up.

While there was a price increase during the last name change in 2023, this time, there are no plans to change subscription tiers or pricing. It’s the same service with a slightly updated name. The history of HBO’s streaming services goes way back to HBO’s cable TV days in the ’70s, then to HBO Go, HBO Now, and eventually HBO Max.

Recent rebrands have been trending in the business world, with companies like Facebook, Twitter, Campbell Soup, and Dunkin’ making changes to stay relevant. It goes to show that even big names need a fresh start now and then.