NEW YORK — Cable television network HBO announced today that they are changing their longtime slogan from “It’s not TV, it’s HBO” to “It’s not TV, it’s — Oops! Something went wrong. Try restarting your HBO Max app.”
“The media landscape is ever-evolving and we need to keep up with the newest trends in television. That’s why we felt like it’s time to lean into what makes HBO HBO: having an app that doesn’t work,” said HBO CEO Richard Plepler. “One great way to tell fans that you’re serious about evolving your business is by rebranding, and that’s why we wanted to bring our famous slogan into the modern age. Because HBO has always been about being different from TV, but what does that mean in a world where TV barely exists anymore? HBO now, and for the foreseeable future, is about user experience. Specifically, an awful one.”
Longtime fans of the cable network have been receptive to the change so far.
“HBO has been my favorite network for a long time because it really does have all the hits. I’ve just been so frustrated with it lately because the app barely works. It’s nice to know that they’re doing something about it, even if it’s just leaning in,” said HBO viewer Lyla Grey. “Now instead of being confused and annoyed, I can be pretentious about it. Like when I talk to my friends about TV, I’ll say ‘oh my god you haven’t watched Succession yet?! It’s nearly impossible to watch, you absolutely must!’ I haven’t worked out all the details yet, but I’ll find a way to use this to feel superior to people.”
At press time, HBO announced the slogan would actually officially be changing next week, after the servers failed during the first attempt.
