HBO Max is now HBO Max again. Seriously?

Remember when Warner Bros. Discovery rebranded HBO Max to just "Max"? The rationale was all about simplification—drop the "HBO" to make room for Discovery's reality TV fare—a wider tent, they claimed. But it was a colossal act of self-sabotage.

HBO isn't just a brand. It represents decades of cultural cachet. Stripping that name from the front door to make space for Shark Week felt like removing the Michelin star from your restaurant because you're now also selling burgers.

"Max" is on its way to becoming "HBO Max" again. Which feels like watching someone repaint the wall they just stripped, realizing too late that the original color meant something.

Don't dilute your strongest signal. HBO was the signal.