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HBO was synonymous with high-end content. Key consequences of the rebrand:. Confusion reigned. Viewers couldn鈥檛 tell what kind of service 鈥淢ax鈥� was or how it differed from HBO. Prestige was diluted. The cultural weight of 鈥淗叠翱鈥� was lost, hurting its perception as a premium offering. Critics pounced. From social media mockery to harsh press, the move became a case study in brand mismanagement.

The news: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) plans to split into two separate public companies by 2026, one focused on streaming and studios and the other on global cable networks, the company announced. Its streaming company will include HBO Max and WBD鈥檚 movie properties, while the global networks company will include TNT Sports, Discovery, and CNN. Our take: WBD鈥檚 move emphasizes that sticking with a one-size-fits-all model is no longer viable given traditional TV declines and the rise of streaming. Managing decline while pursuing growth requires two fundamentally different playbooks.

This was Northwell Health鈥檚 approach when developing the HBO documentary 鈥淥ne South: The Portrait of a Psych Unit,鈥� which features young adults undergoing treatment for mental health challenges at one of its facilities. Mental health is the top value Gen Z wants brands and companies to support, per a March 2023 ISC and Big Village study.

While HBO hasn鈥檛 integrated these partnerships into the show itself, they could be a preview into how retail and Connected TV (CTV) will continue their convergence. 62.7% of US consumers discover new brands or products from TV, and well over a third (38.7%) searched online to consider buying something that they saw on TV, per a September 2024 蘑菇AV survey conducted with Shopsense AI.

Discord's first Quest, a partnership with HBO for a "Dune" trailer, had an 85% video completion rate, according to their internal data. And 100% of those who completed a quest redeemed their avatar decoration. Millions of people joined a Quest around the popular title Genshin Impact, which led to an 80% increase in user gameplay hours the week that the Quest was active.

Ad-supported streaming now drives most new subscriptions: Platforms are embracing ads as a primary monetization strategy, not a fallback.

HBO and Discovery+ going to the 鈥淢ax鈥�: Combined streaming service kicking off in May will bring new business leads for advertisers. Read online.

CTV ad spending is expanding because more services have adopted ads, streaming services have increased their ad loads, and people continue to spend more time streaming. Not too long ago, HBO, Netflix, and Disney+ featured no advertising. Now they all have ads. And some of the most popular ad-supported streamers, like Hulu, have increased their ad loads in recent years.

HBO and the Oscars fought for Sunday鈥檚 primetime viewers: The finale of blockbuster show 鈥淭he Last of Us鈥� aired during Hollywood鈥檚 biggest night.

Gone are the days when Netflix, HBO Now (now Max), and Prime Video prohibited ads. Every service publicly broken out by the Nielsen Gauge now sells advertising. Apple TV+ is the largest holdout in streaming advertising, and many insiders believe it, too, will eventually offer an ad tier. It is rare for subscription streaming services to not sell advertising.

Fubo debuts biddable pause ads: The move is the first time a CTV platform has offered biddable pause ads, but will require rapid scaling to remain effective.

Our latest forecasts for CTV and digital video viewers in Canada show that audiences are now a match for linear TV and exceed it in some age groups.

What do brands need to know about the next wave of digital growth?

MNTN debuts as a public company with a $1.6 billion valuation: Its performance-focused CTV adtech aims to bring small businesses into streaming.

The platform's focus on premium content has earned it a reputation as the 鈥渘ew 贬叠翱,鈥� though this niche positioning may limit broader appeal. Recent theatrical releases like "Killers of the Flower Moon" and "Napoleon" garnered critical acclaim but mixed commercial success. Apple wants to reduce spending on originals and license more content, having invested $20 billion in original content to compete.

HBO eyes the Empire State Building. To promote the latest season of 鈥淗ouse of the Dragon,鈥� HBO parked a 270-foot inflatable dragon on the top of the Empire State Building. HBO鈥檚 marketing team has historically leaned into OOH ads鈥攊ts promotion of "House of the Dragon" season one in 2022 featured a 3D Times Square ad that simulated a dragon breaking free from the screen.

The show moved to HBO in 2016 to address declining DVD revenues, with episodes later airing on PBS. A five-year deal in 2019 transferred the series to HBO Max (now Max). The Warner partnership provided critical financial support as viewing habits shifted away from traditional formats.

The game will almost certainly sell very well鈥擭aughty Dog, the studio behind "Intergalactic," also made "The Last of Us," source material for the acclaimed HBO show of the same name. The impact of games as an advertising channel has markedly grown over the last decade.

Despite its linear presence, HBO will join the Streaming & Studios division due to its Max platform integration. Questions remain about the placement of properties like CNN, which spans both traditional and digital platforms. The restructuring is expected to be completed by mid-2025, with leadership roles and operational focus still to be determined.