As soon as upon a time in 2019, Disney had a choice to make: What would it not name its new big-swing streaming service, a platform meant to tackle Netflix in a manner that Hulu by no means might? It seems that every one it took was a mathematical image. Disney+ was born.
It was an extremely easy identify that was additionally completely descriptive. It means “Disney, after which some.” How robust was the identify “Disney+”? Nicely, ok that half of the media business adopted swimsuit. Quickly, we had Paramount+, Apple TV+, Discovery+ and AMC+. (Technically, Disney adopted … itself. ESPN+ was launched the earlier yr.)
This all got here to thoughts with the information in Could that Warner Bros. Discovery “de-branded” Max again to HBO Max (after former proprietor AT&T had launched HBO Max 5 years in the past). “Max” is about as near “Plus” as you will get with out being a complete copycat.
A number of streaming companies have been naming or renaming themselves these days, arising with a brand new deal with that’s positively, unquestionably higher than the outdated deal with. They’re making an attempt to face out from their rivals, however might find yourself complicated shoppers and Emmy voters — at precisely the second that the latter group is deciding whether or not to honor an organization’s actors, administrators and different contenders.
After AT&T’s WarnerMedia merged with Discovery in 2022, forming (the apparent however fairly named) Warner Bros. Discovery, executives renamed HBO Max simply … Max. They wished it to be clear that Max was extra than simply HBO — you already know, the three strongest letters in tv. But in addition, like Justin Timberlake in The Social Community, they positively thought it sounded cooler.
It didn’t. Warner Bros. Discovery realized the error of its methods and did the debrand. However worthy Max unique collection like Hacks and The Pitt will nonetheless contend for Emmys this yr as “Max” reveals, not “HBO Max” collection. It hasn’t appeared to harm Hacks up to now — voters are usually astute — however the letters “H,” “B” and “O” are nonetheless the way you spell “status” within the TV biz.
NBCUniversal known as its streamer Peacock when it launched in 2020. Peacock, named after the outdated NBC brand, was a foolish identify then, and it’s a foolish identify now. The nicest factor I can say about “Peacock” is that it’s not “Seeso,” its short-lived, comedy-focused predecessor. (Really, the nicest factor I can say about Peacock in an FYC journal is that its Emmy contender The Day of the Jackal is sort of good.)
Peacock can be not “Versant.”
Previously referred to as SpinCo., Versant is a brand new firm (owned by NBCU-parent Comcast) composed of a bunch of cable channels that NBCU felt ambivalent about, together with some digital belongings. Don’t ask me what the hell “Versant” means. Ask Mark Lazarus.
“Versant represents greater than a reputation — it speaks to our adaptability and embraces the chance to form a brand new, trendy media firm,” the agency’s CEO mentioned in a memo to workers, including that NBCU “took into consideration our overarching purpose to affect tradition, join communities and signify a unified path ahead.”
And Disney? Just a few years in the past, it was again within the naming sport for its much-teased new ESPN streaming providing. It wanted one thing that evoked “ESPN,” so it went with …ESPN.
It doesn’t get any much less complicated when you think about there’s already an ESPN app, in addition to ESPN+, which the corporate stresses is a “service” and never an “app.” The brand new ESPN app (a bona fide, confirmed app), is genuinely an enhancement of the present ESPN app. Maybe ESPN ought to have caught with “Flagship,” the brand new providing’s working title. Then once more, by no means thoughts.
All of this branding, rebranding and de-branding is puzzling sufficient for voters and other people within the business. So think about how shoppers really feel.
Even the unwavering Netflix is taking part in the sport. The undisputed streaming chief not too long ago revamped its once-in-a-while advertising occasion Tudum, which is known as after the sound impact that performs earlier than every movie or collection. (It’s just a little too straightforward to make a Tu-dumb joke.)
The corporate makes use of Tudum for its platform on what to observe and what’s trending. However primarily, Tudum is a promotional occasion — one lengthy Netflix advert, principally — now wrapped in a spread present (of kinds) that includes greater than 100 Netflix stars.
There’s one factor that may save a confounding identify: a very good tagline.
ESPN revealed its new tagline on June 5: “Sports activities Perpetually.” Hey, that’s not dangerous! After all, ESPN’s outdated motto, “The Worldwide Chief in Sports activities,” was working effective for everybody.
Lower than a yr in the past, Starz unveiled its personal new tagline: “We’re All Adults Right here.” I’ve acquired nothing unfavourable to say about that one: It clearly defines the model technique. “We’re All Adults Right here” informs potential subscribers (and bundlers, and possibly consumers) of precisely what to anticipate.
It’s no shock Starz nailed its new tagline. Starz is aware of what it’s and who it serves. The Starz viewers is ladies and Black adults — whom it has focused since 2014, when it launched each Outlander and Energy.
HBO is aware of what it’s; Max by no means did.
And we’re nonetheless making an attempt to determine what Versant is.
This story first appeared in a June stand-alone subject of The Hollywood Reporter journal. To obtain the journal, click here to subscribe.