HBO Go

At the end of the 2000s, streaming video was rapidly changing how audiences consumed television.

Services like Netflix and Hulu were beginning to reshape expectations around on-demand viewing, creating a new generation of viewers who wanted to watch content anytime, on any device.

For HBO, this presented a strategic challenge. The company’s business model relied on traditional cable subscriptions, but audiences were increasingly moving toward digital streaming.

HBO GO was created to extend HBO’s premium subscription experience into the digital world, allowing subscribers to stream the network’s full catalogue across devices.

As Executive Creative Director, I lead the design of the product experience that introduced HBO’s content library to streaming audiences for the first time.

Executive Creative Director

• Streaming platform product design

• Multiplatform UX and interaction design

• Information architecture and search experience

• Research-driven product strategy

• Feature prototyping and iteration

• Content discovery and engagement design

• Multidisciplinary design leadership

Led the experience design across web and connected platforms as HBO transitioned into the streaming era.

6.5 Million

HBO Go viewers within the first year

85%

of users said they're watching significantly more HBO

$600 Million

in estimated annualised incremental value to the business

50%

reduction in subscriber churn after major series finales – measured against pre-HBO GO cable baseline.

30%

growth of social media impressions

Streaming services were accelerating the trend toward cord cutting, where viewers cancelled cable subscriptions in favour of online platforms.

For HBO, this created two critical challenges:

1. Competing with emerging streaming services

2. Retaining subscribers between major series releases

Shows like The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and Entourage had built passionate fan communities, but once a season ended, many subscribers cancelled their cable packages.

HBO needed a product that would keep audiences engaged with its content library year-round while extending access beyond the living room television.

Our research focused on the viewers most invested in HBO’s storytelling.

These fans followed the characters and worlds of their favourite shows closely and were often the most active participants in online conversations about the series.

They weren’t just watching episodes — they were discussing plotlines, sharing clips, and exploring behind-the-scenes material.

Understanding this behaviour shaped the product strategy.

The platform needed to support both lean-back viewing and deeper fan engagement.

We developed a two-part approach to the HBO digital ecosystem.

1. HBO GO would provide a seamless streaming experience, allowing subscribers to watch content anytime and across multiple devices.

2. At the same time, HBO.com would act as a destination for expanded content including interviews, behind-the-scenes features, and deeper storytelling around HBO series.

Together, these platforms created a broader digital experience that extended the HBO brand beyond traditional broadcast schedules.

The HBO GO interface focused on making it easy for viewers to discover and watch content from HBO’s expanding catalogue.

Key features included:

• Search by show title, genre, or category

• Access to HBO original series, films, documentaries, and sports programming

• A personal watchlist for saving content

• A “Series Pass” allowing viewers to follow their favourite shows

At launch, the service offered more than 1,600 hours of programming, giving subscribers continuous access to HBO’s library rather than waiting for scheduled broadcasts.

The product introduced many viewers to the idea of streaming premium television content outside of traditional broadcast channels.

By enabling on-demand viewing across devices and pioneering subscription access in markets like the Nordics, where viewers could subscribe to HBO without a cable package, HBO GO played a leading role in moving premium entertainment to direct-to-consumer models globally.

This early expansion strengthened engagement with the brand’s programming, supported subscription growth during a period of rapid industry change, and helped set expectations that later streaming services would build on.

Designing streaming platforms revealed several key lessons about digital media products.

• Content discovery is as important as the content itself.

• Helping viewers find something to watch quickly is critical to engagement.

• Fan communities drive long-term value.

• Dedicated audiences amplify shows through social conversation and repeat viewing.

• Platforms shape how stories are consumed.

• Streaming fundamentally changes the relationship between audiences and television.

These lessons continue to influence how I approach content platforms and subscription-based digital products.

Team

Trevor Eld, Scott Weiland, Paola Colombo, John Tubert, Isabel Kantor, Ben Zhou, Ritwik Dey, Mutlu Isik, Kajal Gala, Shu Zheng Li, Clay Johnson, James Hulsizer, Ted Angelilli, Beth Larocco, Chris Volk, Kara Benton

Agency / Launch

R/GA / 2010