Warner Bros. Discovery decided to rename its streaming service HBO Max, reverting to the original name it bore prior to the 2023 rebrand to Max. The move effectively signals the admission that the much-touted rebranding effort, accompanied at the time by bold promises of broader appeal and increased popularity, has fallen flat.
In fact, industry experts and many subscribers voiced skepticism from the very beginning. They argued that the HBO Max name carried strong brand recognition, being closely associated with global hits like Game of Thrones as well as a variety of other acclaimed series and films. Discarding such a powerful name was an obvious misstep. However, Warner Bros. Discovery dismissed those concerns.
Now, it can only be said that this misstep cost the company quite a sum. Domain Name Wire writes that in 2023 the company purchased the domain Max.com for the rebrand for about $1.8 million. It cannot be said that money is entirely lost: HBO can continue using the domain even though the service is changing name. It can also be sold as a valuable digital asset. Anyway, buying an extremely expensive domain for a very dubious marketing move does not seem like the best solution.
