WarnerMedia is looking to help brands better connect with its portfolio of high-profile intellectual property like the new "Gossip Girl" remake and DC superheroes, through a new branded content studio.
The House of Max content studio will allow brands to leverage the company's IP and production capabilities for custom marketing for its HBO Max streaming platform and other properties.
This comes following the June rollout of HBO Max's ad-supported tier. Despite the recent introduction of commercial breaks, HBO Max has nonetheless pledged to serve up “the lightest ad load in the market,” says Maureen Polo, senior VP of entertainment marketing solutions at WarnerMedia—meaning advertisers have to make the most of the limited space held for them, which is as little as four minutes per hour.
As brands navigate the streaming landscape, content studios are popping up to help them create marketing messages that better fit in the ecosystem than what they are already are utilizing in linear TV. In March, Roku announced its own brand studio and Hulu opened its studio in 2019.
Polo, who joined WarnerMedia last year after a stint as the head of social agency Fullscreen, is charged with leading House of Max’s business operations. The team includes award-winning creative directors, virtual reality experts and music composers. Elaine Andrade, senior VP and executive creative director for WarnerMedia, will serve as its creative lead.