EasyJet’s guardian firm has misplaced a Excessive Court docket model theft declare in opposition to a buying web site which has the phrase “easy” in its title.
EasyGroup, which has a wealthy historical past of going after entities it believes have infringed its logos, took authorized motion in opposition to easyfundraising Ltd, its founder Ian Woodroffe and buyers The Help Group (UK) Ltd.
Its most important argument was that prospects might confuse the 2 manufacturers as coming beneath easyGroup, which has greater than 200 ‘easy’ branded ventures inside its portfolio.
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In addition they embody easyBus and easyHotel.
However Mr Justice Fancourt dismissed easyGroup’s claims, saying “it is unlikely that any but a few would make the association and be confused” between the 2 manufacturers.
He added: “Users of easyfundraising’s advertising services would be least likely to be confused, as they were relatively sophisticated and careful business persons, or professionals, and as such are most unlikely to consider that easyfundraising or easysearch is an easy+ brand or connected in some way with easyGroup.”
One other plank of easyGroup’s case centred on its perception that easyfundraising had a poor fame.
Addressing that subject, the choose famous the “large number of retailers that advertise with easyfundraising and have done so for years, including well-known and reputable high street brands such as Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, demonstrate that retailers do not share the claimant’s view that easyfundraising has a poor reputation.”
He added: “Indeed, many of the easyGroup licensees, including easyJet itself, advertised on easyfundraising between 2010 and 2022, generating around £1.25m of sales.”
Easyfundraising chief govt, James Moir, stated in response to the judgment: “Our resolution to not again down in opposition to easyGroup’s ridiculous claims and ways has been totally vindicated.
“This whole case has taken up so many months of management and business time that could have been far better spent on our core business… We hope that this judgement gives heart to others being sued by easyGroup that they can see them in court – and win.”
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EasyGroup founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou indicated after the case that the corporate would attraction.
“We will continue our challenge which we believe to be in the interest of the UK consumer”, he stated.
His firm has a bit on its web site devoted to its battles with corporations globally over the usage of the phrase ‘easy’.
EasyGroup’s most up-to-date win came visiting the band Simple Life earlier this yr.
The Leicester-based group modified its title to Exhausting Life, and launched a brand new single referred to as Tears, within the wake of the case being settled in June.
