In 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery faced a problem: too many streaming brands, not enough clarity. HBO Max, Discovery+, Cartoon Network, CNN, DC Studios…the list went on. Their solution? A rebrand. They dropped “HBO” and tried to unite everything under one name: Max. On paper, it sounded simple. Broader, friendlier, and family-ready. And, to make it stick, they went big, paying $1.8 million for Max.com. The domain was clean, powerful, and unforgettable. What should have worked as a solid rebrand ended up flopping. “HBO” wasn’t the liability; it was the draw. For decades, it had stood for prestige and quality…the Sunday-night anticipation that kept people loyal. By stripping it away, Warner didn’t gain focus. They lost meaning. And “Max”? It was too vague and generic. Google it and you’re buried under a blur of Max the dog, Max Verstappen, Max from Stranger Things, and a dozen fitness influencers. Customers were confused and some even thought the brand was was actually Cinemax. By May 2025, just two years later, Warner quietly reversed course. No big announcement; just a soft return to the name people trusted all along: HBO Max. Max.com remains live, still redirecting, still a premium domain. But now, it’s a $1.8M reminder that even the best .com can’t save a weak brand strategy.

Was watching the football game when I saw an ad for adult diapers. I had some time to myself today and started playing around with a print ad (target audience likely still subscribes to magazines) for a similar product using a few different headlines/subheads. Whatcha think?

I was asked this question years ago by one of my sons. This was my actual answer... now as an ad for Dairy Queen. Don't forget to put your audience into your advertising. Given that you have a social media schedule that lives moment-to-moment... why not? 😁 What do you buy first?

Ocado is an online grocery service that delivers throughout England (think... Amazon Fresh or Instacart). In their most recent TV spot, you get to see all of the areas of life that they touch, quietly in the background, while your world is filled with a healthy mix of joy and disappointment — BACKWARDS. Such a simple thematic twist. Easy enough to pull even a cheap spot together with a power that keeps your viewer watching throughout the entire spot. With a few clever audio reverses, coupled with "Let Forever Be" by The Chemical Brothers, Brit Agency Uncommon Creative Studio in partnership with Havas Media has a real winner on their hands.

I just got texted this photo from my wife. What story does it tell about her? How and why did these brands win entry into her shopping cart at Aldi. I know, I just said, "my wife"... tread carefully. 🤣