Why the HBO Max (Now Max, Wait… Now HBO Max Again?) Rebrand Flopped—And What Your Business Can Learn From It

Bailey Martindale
May 15
2 min read

Updated: May 29

You’ve probably seen the memes, the eye rolls, and the viral tweets. HBO Max became Max… and now it’s back to being HBO Max again. If your head’s spinning, you’re not alone. But beyond the confusion and corporate chaos, there’s a serious branding lesson here—one that could save your business thousands and keep you from becoming a cautionary tale.

Let’s break it down.

The Max Mess: What Went Wrong?

Rebrands are normal. In fact, most successful companies evolve their brand every 5–7 years, even subtly. But what happened with Max wasn’t evolution—it was a branding identity crisis.

First, HBO built a powerhouse name based on prestige, award-winning content, and a reputation for high quality. Then came the streaming wars, and HBO Max was born—a move that made sense: strong brand equity, expanded content.

But then… someone decided to drop the HBO and just call it “Max.” Why?

Supposedly, it was to broaden appeal and encompass non-HBO content.

But here’s the branding problem: “Max” meant absolutely nothing to consumers.

It was a name without roots, without clarity, and without emotional resonance. In the pursuit of sounding broad and inclusive, they stripped away all the trust, prestige, and recognition they’d spent decades building.

Why Strategy > Surface-Level Changes

Rebranding isn’t just about changing your logo or tweaking your name. That’s like giving a house a new paint job while ignoring the cracked foundation underneath.

A successful rebrand is built on:

Positioning Strategy: How you’re different and why it matters.
Target Market Research: What your audience actually needs and responds to.
Emotional Connection: What feelings your brand evokes.
Visual + Verbal Alignment: Ensuring your voice, look, and vibe match who you’re speaking to.

HBO’s flip-flop showed what happens when a rebrand lacks strategic direction. Their identity became muddled, users were confused, and let’s not ignore that nasty dip in their stock value.

What You Can Learn (So You Don’t End Up Like Max)

Don’t rebrand just to look trendy. If you’re not basing your rebrand on real research, your audience won’t resonate.
Know your brand equity. HBO had it. Max didn’t. Don’t throw away what your customers already trust and recognize.
Avoid confusing your audience. Consistency builds trust. Rebranding too often—or doing it poorly—erodes that.
Your rebrand should move you forward, not set you back. Strategy comes first. Visuals come after.