MAX Launched Today And No One’s Happy
HBO Max is now officially rebranded to Max, and no one seems happy about the change.
Warner Bros. Discovery has officially launched its rebranding initiative for HBO Max, which will now be known as Max. The announcement was made on April 12, with the changes taking effect on May 23. The upgraded streaming service will house an array of new original programming dubbed Max Originals, along with an updated user interface featuring content hubs for HBO and HGTV. While WBD is excited about the change, they seem to be the only ones.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, existing HBO Max subscribers will seamlessly transition to the Max app via an automatic update. However, some folks may be prompted to download the new app. Furthermore, existing HBO Max accounts will effortlessly migrate to the new Max system without any action required by subscribers.
Discovery+ will continue to exist as a standalone service. However, users can upgrade their subscriptions to Max, which will unlock expanded content and features available on the rebranded streaming service. The new app boasts a revamped home page with a tab dedicated to HBO programming.
Additionally, content bundling in the Max app will be organized by genre while retaining familiar elements from HBO Max. Speaking about the rebrand, Global Chief Marketing Officer for direct-to-consumer, Patrizio Spagnoletto, emphasized the company’s intention to signal change without undergoing a drastic transformation.
Instead, the evolution of the app aims to preserve the established equity built by HBO Max, striking a balance between refreshing the platform and maintaining its identity. The rebranded platform will also be ditching its purple branding in favor of blue, which is supposed to be more broadly appealing while remaining distinctly different from competitors like Disney+, Paramount+, and Prime Video.
At a preview event for Max, President, and CEO of Streaming and Games, JB Perrette explained that the revamped service would prioritize personalized recommendations for users, extending beyond the homepage to various sections of the platform. One addition is a dedicated homepage for children’s profiles with a kid-friendly interface that excludes the HBO tab.
There are also tons of profile customization options for subscribers, with numerous avatars to choose from. This includes iconic figures from the Harry Potter film franchise, The White Lotus, The Last of Us, and more. New Max Originals include What Am I Eating? With Zooey Deschanel, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Clone High, Bama Rush, and others.
While folks are excited about new content, the Max name change has puzzled existing subscribers. Since the launch, people have been creatively trolling the rebrand. One person took a lighthearted approach, mocking the streaming service’s history of name changes by inventing alternatives like “HBO Ragnarok” and “HBO Tokyo Drift.”
The rebrand comes almost three years after HBO Max was launched during the early stages of Covid-19. As the pandemic forced the closure of theaters and disrupted the traditional movie release schedules, the platform became a valuable tool for showcasing planned theatrical releases that were either canceled or postponed.
Prominent movies like Wonder Woman 1984, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Dune found their premieres on HBO Max as supplementary releases or alternatives to theatrical screenings. This strategic move allowed audiences to enjoy these highly anticipated films from the comfort of their homes amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic.
