Streaming app Max is changing its name back to HBO Max after dropping the “HBO” two years ago, resulting in consumer whiplash.
People mocked the company’s initial decision to remove the part of the brand name associated with high-quality content, and they’re ready with jokes once more.
Max is re-rebranding as HBO Max
HBO Max dropped the Home Box Office acronym in 2023 after Warner Bros. Discovery took over. Just about everybody thought this was a bad idea, and social media users joked that the new name represented a drop in content quality.
The company surprised audiences with the announcement of HBO’s return on Wednesday, citing something about consumer insights.
“Returning the HBO brand into HBO Max will further drive the service forward and amplify the uniqueness that subscribers can expect from the offering,” the press release reads. “It is also a testament to WBD’s willingness to keep boldly iterating its strategy and approach – leaning heavily on consumer data and insights – to best position itself for success.”
Trolling works.
Social media jokes about HBO Max’s backpedal
Warner Bros. Discovery better be ready for a new round of jokes about their indecision. Users on X were eager to poke fun at the brand for apparently realizing their mistake.
User @LingoUnbound called the move “detransitioning,” while @promenadonade compared the company to “that one friend you have that’s taking too long to figure out their gender.”
“It’s Not TV, It’s HBO,” wrote @BrettRedacted. “It’s not HBO, It’s HBO Max. It’s Not HBO Max, It’s MAX. It’s Not Max, It’s HBO Max.”
User @mattmac_d posted a meme declaring, “Another 20 trillion to consulting companies.”
User @AmaniPunani posted the “Grand Re-Re-Re-Opening” sign from Bob’s Burgers.
Then @TimothyYBarrett posted that moment from Conan O’Brien’s Hot Ones interview.
User @topboySalman posted “the marketing team’s keyboard.”
“Some dude got paid millions of dollars to say it was a good idea to remove hbo from the name,” @OffMetaHero pointed out.
“I’ll do you one better….’HBO,’” @GiuseppeLaRock joked.
“I never stopped calling it HBO Max btw, maybe I’m the problem,” suggested @LegendaryKay__.
User @GeoffinLincoln posted Marco Rubio in anticipation of the “Please uninstall the Max app and download and reinstall the HBO Max app” prompt.
Folks like @BrianRCostello are bringing out the whiteboard for the purpose of “Explaining to my family and friends how HBO went from HBO on Demand to HBO Go to HBO Now to HBO Max to Max back to HBO Max.”
User @HateradeCon posted the Two Buttons meme to describe “HBO Max every damn year.”
And @Cokedupoptions used an Arrested Development clip to joke about “Max changing it’s name back to HBO Max.”
HBO itself got in on the joke with the “B*tch, you better be joking” meme, remarking, “What she said.”
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