Easy Group really need to get a life!!!
easyGroup, which owns the licensing rights to easyJet, is suing the band Easy Life over claims of brand infringement and damage to reputation.
The band allegedly used the easyJet brand in promotional materials and merchandise, which easyGroup believes violates its trademarks.
The band responded on social media, expressing surprise at the lawsuit and feeling powerless against a large corporation like easyJet.
Simple Flying report
The company owning the licensing rights to the name easyJet is suing a British band over claims that the Leicester-based indie band is capitalizing on its “easy” brand and causing significant damage to the group’s reputation.
Why is easyGroup involved?
The easyGroup has aggressively trademarked a variety of combinations and phrases to gain commercial control over the word “easy.” Examples vary from easyBus, easySim, and easyToolhireUK to subjects completed unrelated to travel, including easyHemp, easyAccessibility, easyStudies, and even easyPizza. As a result, easyGroup now enjoys a steady and predictable income from licensing the easy brand to many businesses, including the airline, in return for a royalty based on their turnover (not profits).
One such company is easylife.com, a catalog retailer specializing in home and garden supplies. In its claim, which was validated and analyzed by Simple Flying, the airline holding group makes its case based on several instances in which it believes the band willingly infringed on its name and branding. The first and most significant charge is a band tour promotional poster that features a plane in the easyJet livery, with the word “life” superimposed over the “Jet” in the original photo.
The tour also included merchandise, some of which had the band name in the familiar easyJet orange, which the easyGroup feels violates its trademarks. The company has also included claims of damage to its reputation due to the band’s 2020 single “Who Gives a F***” and the use of profanities during the band’s live performances.
Not such an easy life
The band Easy Life was formed in Leicester in 2017 by band members Murray Matravers, Oliver Cassidy, Sam Hewitt, Lewis Alexander Berry, and Jordan Birtles. They have been signed to Island Records since 2018 and released two albums, Life’s A Beach (2021) and Maybe In Another Life (2022), which both charted at #2 in the United Kingdom. The group has also met with significant critical acclaim, playing at key festivals and winning the NME Best New British Act.
The band took to social media to reveal news of the lawsuit. In a lengthy post online, the band shared their side of the story and joked about the possible repercussions of any confusion between the brand and the airline:
“As some of you already discovered, we are being sued. easyJet are suing us for being called Easy Life. They’re forcing us to change our name or take up a costly legal battle that we could never afford.
“We’ve worked hard to establish our brand and I’m certain in no way have we ever affected their business. Although we find the whole situation hilarious, we are virtually powerless against such a massive corporation. I don’t really know what else to say, we will keep you lot updated.”
“For those of you that bought gig tickets and ended up on a budget flight to Tenerife, I apologise. For the rest of you, thank you so much for all your support.”
Source: https://simpleflying.com/easy-life-sued-by-easyjet-owner-over-name-similarity/
