Say hello to HBO Max—again. This summer, Warner Bros. Discovery—HBO’s parent company—is changing the name of its popular streaming service from “Max” to “HBO Max,” after using just “Max” since 2023.
How will the move affect Warner Bros. Discovery? Does it even matter?
The short answer: Yes, branding matters immensely in a landscape as crowded as streaming, where the likes of Amazon Prime Video and Netflix are all too eager to poach HBO’s customers. For its part, HBO has long tinkered with its brand, and not just to grab headlines.
But Warner Bros. Discovery needs to tread carefully in this case. Market research is critical.
According to new research from Outward Intelligence, consumers have been responding positively to HBO and Max’s evolving strategy. Viewers continue to strongly associate both HBO Max and Max with high-quality original content (29 percent for HBO Max, 24 percent for Max) not to mention a wide selection of shows and movies (33 percent for HBO Max, 34 percent for Max). Over the last two years, Max’s platform has largely delivered what audiences have come to expect from the HBO legacy—award-winning programming, variety, and quality that stands out in a saturated marketplace.
In some ways, the standalone Max has even broadened HBO’s appeal. More viewers cite ease of use and navigation on Max (25 percent) compared to HBO Max (18 percent), reflecting successful platform upgrades and an improved user experience. A greater share of consumers also claim the “subscription is worth the price” (21 percent for Max versus 17 percent for HBO Max), signaling growing perceived brand value. Viewers see accessibility and affordability.
The 2023 rebrand was a win for HBO. The company successfully tweaked around the edges and nailed the margins, improving the user experience in response to consumer preferences.
Now, HBO needs to avoid a brand setback. On the bright side, HBO’s approval rating did not take a hit over the last two years; it remained stable. Fifty-eight percent of consumers have a somewhat or very favorable opinion of HBO Max, and the same is true for Max. Neutral and unfavorable ratings remain virtually unchanged.
The key for HBO Max is not undermining the user experience, whether it is the platform’s ease of use and navigation or the quality of its content. Not only is content king, and difficult to ace, but even the most high-quality content needs to be supplemented by routine technological improvements and enhancements that strengthen the point of delivery.
Maintaining brand loyalty is increasingly difficult in today’s day and age. Subscription cycling is par for the course. Most Americans believe there are too many streaming options, and cancellation is a quick way to cut costs in an inflationary economy. Gen Z consumers—an ever-growing segment of the market—are also more likely than older generations to cancel monthly streaming subscriptions, with price increases cited as the main reason.
Competing against other streaming companies, HBO is no stranger to customer churn. Out of all the streamers, Max has seen the highest percentage of users who have paused and restarted their subscriptions to the service, accounting for nearly one-third of customers. Retaining HBO’s core brand strength can help stabilize subscription cycles, keeping customers loyal month after month.
Fortunately for HBO, the foundation is strong. Loyalty has been built over decades—from The Wire and The Sopranos to Game of Thrones and The White Lotus. As Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav recently put it, the HBO moniker “represents the highest quality in media” to millions of Americans.
But HBO also represents something more—a brand willing to tweak and tinker based on customer feedback. The “Max” era was a success story because HBO never lost sight of its target audience.
For the second coming of “HBO Max” to be successful, market research remains indispensable. Just like hit shows earn and re-earn trust with each new season, Warner Bros. Discovery must up the stakes with HBO’s offerings—to the max.
