The rebrand that went full circle: HBO Max to new HBO Max

The HBO Max rebrand saga highlights how quickly brand equity can be undermined when recognition cues are disrupted. (Shutterstock)

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) recently announced the streaming app Max will revert to the name HBO Max this summer. The move comes only two years after HBO was dropped from the brand name.

The announcement has sparked a wave of commentary on social media, including self-aware humour. HBO’s social media team posted memes from shows like Friends and Euphoria, joking that the company had finally “come home.”