The owner of budget airline easyJet has launched a controversial legal battle with a British pop band, forcing the band to change its name after accusing its members of being brand thieves.
EasyGroup, which owns or licenses several “easy” brands and has long defended its brands in court, said it was suing Leicester band Easy Life for copyright infringement.
times of london First reported, the group accused the band of borrowing the name of home and garden retailer Easylife, in whose name easyGroup received licensing fees without any financial benefit.
Easy Life released its debut single in 2017, featuring Murray Matravers, and has over 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The band’s two albums, life is a beach and Maybe in another life, Both reached number two in the UK charts.
in a Statement posted on Instagram and the band X confirmed they were being sued for using the name Easy Life.
“They force us to change the name or engage in an expensive legal battle that we can never afford. While we find the whole situation hilarious, there’s really nothing we can do against such a massive company,” the band wrote.
Representatives for easyGroup did not immediately respond. of wealth Request for comment.
However, in statements to multiple media outlets, including protector and British Broadcasting CorporationThe group said: “Concerning the brand thief Mr Matravers and his bandmates who decided to use our brand easyLife without permission.
“We have a long track record of legally stopping thieves from using our brands and I am confident we will stop Mr Matravers.”
Following easyGroup’s statement, the band released a reply On its social media platform, it detailed a timeline from its first performance in 2015 to the release of its debut album in 2021.
Then it references easyGroup’s Trademark application The name Easylife was registered in August 2022. The band ends by saying, “Sorry, who’s the brand thief here?”
It’s unclear whether the band will enter legal action with easyGroup or simply change its name. Representatives from Easy Life did not respond of wealth Request for comment.
history of aggression
EasyGroup has an active history of fighting entities that claim to have stolen the “easy” brand.
Indeed, the company has a pages on its website Various legal victories dedicated to combating these so-called “brand thieves.”
“Some people think they can make a quick buck by stealing our name and reputation,” the company writes on its website, citing its snubbing of similar-sounding brands.
2018, guardian easyGroup founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou reportedly sues Netflix over comedy series simpleasking the company to name the series for European audiences.
At the time, a Netflix representative told guardian: “Viewers can tell the difference between the show they’re watching and the plane they’re flying on.”
Sir Stelios’s brand battles don’t always end with the founder winning. In 2018, the group lost a lawsuit against car dealer Arnold Clark over its payment system Easy Pay. times of london the report said.
This isn’t even the first time the company has filed a lawsuit against an entity under the title “Easy Living.”
In 2021, the group attempted to sue the company Easylife, which has now licensed its name. However, a High Court judge sided with Easylife on all claims of copyright infringement.
“The key to the court’s reasoning is that the word ‘simple’ is a descriptive term and therefore not distinctive,” one person said. case analysis 11 South Square is a law firm specializing in intellectual property law.
The band later trademarked the name, leading to its recent lawsuit against Easy Life.
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