Copy Guidance
Product Messaging
Medium: Stream the most talked about series, hit movies, exclusive originals, family favorites, live sports, and breaking news on HBO Max.
Short: Stream must-see series, movies, live sports, and breaking news on HBO Max.
Messaging applies to U.S. only.
Copy Style
HBO Max in Text
Do
- HBO Max
- hbomax.com
- @hbomax
- #hbomax
Don't
- HBO MAX
- HBOMAX
- HBOMAX.com
- HBOMax.com
- @HBOMAX
Use the “of” construction instead of the possessive form.
Do
The great entertainment on HBO Max
Don't
HBO Max’s great entertainment
Spell out “HBO Max” within text. To add emphasis, make it bold.
Do
- HBO Max cuts through the noise.
- HBO Max cuts through the noise.
Don't
Sports in Text
When in headlines, “Live Sports” will be in title case. But in body copy, please follow the guidance here:
When “live sports” is part of a more generic reference, keep it lowercase.
- “Stream the best in live sports. Follow your favorite leagues and teams on HBO Max.”
When “Live Sports” is positioned as a category or offering, use title case.
- “Stream Live Sports on HBO Max.”
For specific live games or matches: Place “live” before the event name.
- “Stream live MLB games on HBO Max.”
For special or branded events: Place “live” after the event name for better readability.
- “Stream the NBA Playoffs live on HBO Max.” (instead of “Stream the live NBA Playoffs games on HBO Max.”)
- “Stream Roland-Garros live on HBO Max.”
Capitalization Styles & Samples
Title Case
Capitalize the first letter of every word: The White Lotus, Daring Dramas, A Max Original
- Titles (movies, series, promos, podcast)
- Headings and subheadings
- Episode titles
- Multi-title/brand text cards
Except, lowercase:
- Articles: a, an, the
- Conjunctions: and, but, or, if
- Prepositions (fewer than four letters): at, to, by, on
Sentence case
Capitalize only the first letter of the first word: See what’s new in our complete collections.
- Legal language
ALL CAPS
- CTAs: START STREAMING, WATCH NOW, +ADD TO MY LIST
- Tune-ins: NOW STREAMING, NEW EPISODES SUNDAYS
- UI buttons
all lowercase
- Hashtags: #batman, #succession
Except, use title case in multi-word hashtags for clarity: #TheRehearsal, #KeanuReeves
Punctuation
Comma
Use the serial comma before “and” or “or” in a list of three or more items.
Ellipses (...)
Use in place of missing text. No spaces between the dots, and no spaces on either side.
Em Dash (—)
Use to signal an abrupt change. With a space on either side.
En Dash (–)
Use to indicate ranges. With a space on either side.
Note: for digital, use en dashes in lieu of em dashes (for an easier read).
Quotation Marks
Place periods, commas, and exclamation points inside quotation marks.
