Yesterday, Warner Bros. Discovery unveiled a new branding for its Max streaming service yesterday, as well as announced its availability in Australia. Although the service is still called simply Max, it has changed its bright blue look to a monochrome black and white palette that more closely resembles the iconic HBO logo. The new design has already been introduced on the streaming service’s user interface and social media channels, and will “continue to be used on marketing materials over the next few months,” Variety reports.
In 2023, the HBO Max and Discovery Plus streaming services were merged to create a single streaming service, Max, following the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery a year earlier. During the launch, Max completely abandoned the HBO branding, as well as the deep purple palette of the HBO Max service in favor of the bright blue that has been used for the past few years.
Max’s previous colorful branding was chosen to help promote the new service’s broader programming and make it more kid-friendly. “We all love HBO. And it’s a brand that’s been built over five decades to be an edgy, innovative trendsetter in adult entertainment. But it’s not exactly where parents would most want to take their kids,” said J.B. Perrett, president and CEO of global streaming and gaming at Warner Bros. Discovery, during an event to launch Max in 2023.
Yesterday’s rebranding, which seems to bring the streaming service closer to HBO, known for its more mature programming, “may help consumers associate the two brands with each other,” Variety suggests.
