Overview

• Warner Bros. Discovery has officially renamed its streaming service from Max back to HBO Max, just two years after dropping the HBO branding.
• CEO David Zaslav emphasized the decision leverages HBO's reputation for premium content to drive future growth in the competitive streaming market.
• John Oliver mocked the rebranding saga on Last Week Tonight, calling the sequence of name changes increasingly 'dumb' and criticizing Warner Bros. Discovery's decision-making.
• Branding experts have described the original switch to Max as a significant misstep, dubbing the reversal a 'corporate walk of shame.'
• Warner Bros. Discovery executives anticipated Oliver's reaction, with streaming marketing chief Shauna Spenley joking about his expected 'hot take' during the company’s recent upfront presentation.