Leicester-based band Easy Life say they are being forced to change their name by the owners of easyJet, who have started legal action against them.
The alternative indie pop group, who formed in 2017, came second in the 2020 edition of the BBC‘s Sound of..., an annual music poll of music critics and industry figures to find the most promising new music talent.
They revealed in a social media post on Tuesday that easyGroup, the parent company of airline easyJet, was suing them because their name was too similar.
The band, which consists of members Murray Matravers, Oliver Cassidy, Sam Hewitt, Lewis Berry and Jordan Birtles, said they were certain they had never affected the company’s business.
EasyGroup said it would be “unfair” to let the band use the “easy” brand name without royalty payments.
In a statement shared on Instagram, Easy Life said the band were being sued because of the similarity of their name to the company.
“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”.
EasyGroup said other companies - including one of the UK’s largest catalogue retailers, also called Easylife - paid for the use of its brand name.
A spokesperson added: “Stelios [Haji-Ioannou] and easyGroup founded and now own the right to the easy brand name.
“Other companies, including Easylife [the catalogue company], pay annual royalties for its use as part of their business strategy.
“We cannot allow others to simply use it free, gratis and for nothing. That would be unfair.”
