03/08/2023
A band say they are being forced to change their name by the brand owners of airline easyJet, who have started legal action against them.
Easy life said the easyGroup was suing them because their name was too similar.
EasyGroup said it would be “unfair” to let the band use the “easy” brand name without royalty payments.
“We’ve worked hard to establish our brand. I’m certain in no way have we ever affected their business,” the band said.
“Although we find this whole situation hilarious, we are virtually powerless against such a massive corporation.”
In its claim lodged with the High Court, easyGroup said the band had promoted their Life’s a beach tour, in 2021 and 2022, with a poster showing a plane in the style of easyJet’s orange livery but substituting the airline’s name with its own.
The company also said the band had produced T-shirts bearing their name in the firm’s branded style and their website infringed its trademark with its similarity to easyJet branding.
The document stated:
“By wrongly creating a link with the claimant, the defendant benefits from an association with that positive view and vast brand recognition, regardless of whether the link was intended to be provocative or humorous.”
It said the band was : “riding on the coat tails of the valuable reputation” of the company’s brand, adding it was “not presently able to estimate the financial value of this claim, but considers that it will be substantial”.
The easyGroup has previously taken legal action against a number of companies over the use of the “easy” brand.
In 2008, a Northampton-based restaurant changed their name from easyCurry, external under the threat of legal action.
In 2018, The Guardian reported, external the company took legal action against Netflix over its comedy series Easy, claiming its use of the name breaches its European trademarks.
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