What Can an Overdesigned Cat Learn from HBO’s Comeback?
Two iconic brands. Two branding missteps. One got it right.
It’s been a wild week in brandland.
On one side: HBO. A prestige brand dragged through five rebrands in five years—culminating in the generic “Max,” a name so nondescript it could be a detergent. This was baffling for anyone who actually watches television and understands the cultural power of HBO as a brand.
And yet: they’re fixing it.
Warner Bros. Discovery finally announced it’s bringing the HBO name back, realizing what audiences knew all along: HBO is the brand. But the real masterstroke came from HBO Max’s social team. They went straight for the jugular—with humor.Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
They roasted their own company. They posted memes. They made fun of the execs. They acknowledged what everyone was already thinking—and by doing so, they took the sting out of the mistake.
You’re the brand. No, YOU’RE the brand.
Self-awareness became brand strategy. And it’s working.
People are not only forgiving; they root for a comeback.
Now contrast that with Jaguar.
The company launched its “Copy Nothing” rebrand last November—except the new look felt more like it copied everything. Generic sans-serif font. A vibe that felt more like pandering to Gen Z than a luxury automaker with decades of soul and swagger.
And now? The company is quietly—quietly—shopping for a new ad agency.
According to Yahoo Finance, a spokesman for JLR said: “As a matter of policy JLR does not comment on any supplier arrangements, Accenture Song are currently under contract to the middle of 2026. We have nothing further to say on this matter.”
What a missed opportunity.
Here’s the thing: brands screw up all the time. It isn’t the end of the world though my guess is that it has felt like that to Jaguar execs for the past six months. It’s not the mistake that damages your brand—it’s pretending it didn’t happen.
Jaguar had the guts to try something bold. That’s admirable. But now it’s time to be bold again—by owning the misstep and charting a better path forward.
Spectacular failures are often the seeds of great future successes.
Imagine the statement:
“We tried something new. It didn’t land. We’re still swinging for the fences—but we’re going to do it without losing what makes Jaguar, Jaguar.”
Throw in a little British humor and people will cheer you on.
Because here’s the truth: both HBO and Jaguar are iconic brands. They spent decades building equity, cultural, and emotional resonance. But brand equity only works if you know what makes you you. Your identity has to carry through, even as you evolve.
WBD lost lost sight of that for a while when it jettisoned the HBO brand. But they found their way back.
Jaguar still can.