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526:) faced legal allegations from easyGroup over its use of the easy name, accusing Easyart of "passing off" on easyGroup's good name. Before commencing legal action easyGroup's lawyers bombarded Easyart.com with threatening letters, despite having accepted £2,000 worth of advertising from the art company in its EasyInternet cafes not long after it launched. "This was a David and Goliath fight. It is a good day for smaller companies who stand up to bullying tactics from large corporations. We hope this gives hope to many other companies out there who are trading legitimately under the 'Easy' name and who have been threatened by this man", said Mr Matthews.
449:
559:(formerly Easylife Group Ltd), and another EWHC 2150, Dr Jonathan Cornthwaite of the long-established legal firm Wedlake Bell said "This case was brought in attempt to prevent a retailing business called Easylife Ltd and its director from (among other things) using various brands incorporating the word 'easy'. However, the claimant not only lost its cases for trade mark infringement and passing off, but also suffered the revocation of various of its UK trade marks on the grounds of non-use."
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542:£1,000-worth of signs, leaflets and posters using the name, and hand over website domain names within two weeks. In 2012, a Northwich-based gym called Easy Exercise was challenged that it could not use the Easy name, with easyGroup citing "The easy name is synonymous with quality, value for money services and we have a duty to protect the public from its unauthorised use."
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In 2011, the
Edmonton-based company Eezy Drive received a letter from easyGroup's lawyer Clarke Willmott, asking the owner Zeeshan Haniffa to stop using the name of his driving school, Ezee Drive Driving School, accusing him of "intellectual property infringement" and giving him seven days to destroy
574:
by The
Honourable Mr Justice Fancourt ruled that Easyfundraising successfully defended against easyGroup's injunction to stop trading under 'easyfundraising', stating "….the average consumer would be unlikely to be confused merely on account of use of the word “easy”, even if the services could be
566:
was described as a "deeply unimpressive witness" who gave answers "that were defensive to the point of implausibility" by a High Court judge who oversaw a trademark disagreement involving EASYOFFICE, owned by a company called Nuclei. The judge, Mrs
Justice Bacon, found in favour of Nuclei and said
529:
In 2005, easyGroup threatened legal action against a Welsh company which had been trading as EasyMobile since 2003, two years before the launch of easyGroup's easyMobile business which is not currently running. In 2006, easyGroup dropped action against London businessman Karl Kahn after it emerged
537:
concerning travel-associated "extras" such as hotel bookings under the "easyJethotels" brand, and car hire under "easyJetcarhire". EasyGroup contended that it licensed the "easyJet" brand primarily for airline use, and that using the brand for hotel and car hire interfered with other EasyGroup
498:
controlling the "easy" family of brands. Through its wholly owned subsidiary EasyGroup IP Licensing Ltd, the company licences the Easy brand to other businesses. The easyGroup of companies have a complex structure that contains elements of a generic
555:, claiming its use of the name breaches its European trademarks. Netflix said in a statement that "viewers can tell the difference between a show they watch and a plane they fly in". In a ruling in 2021,
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In 2008, a restaurant in
Northampton agreed to stop calling itself "easyCurry" after threats of legal action from easyGroup. As of 2009, differences had emerged at
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In
February 2022, easyGroup filed a lawsuit against the charity shopping website easyfundraising for "brand theft". In April 2022,
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Amongst the ventures formerly owned by easyGroup which are still in operation under new full or partial ownership are hotel chain
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Examples for former easyGroup brands and business ventures that since ceased operations for various reasons are
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1058:"EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou 'bullying' driving instructor into closing 'Ezee' business"
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that his EasyPizza business predated easyGroup's business of the same name by several years.
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Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
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Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the
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1031:"EasyJet firm accused of 'bullying' Edmonton driving instructor over Ezee Drive name"
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four easyGroup trademarks should be revoked on the "grounds of lack of genuine use".
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1228:"EasyGroup's Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou targets Easyfundraising over 'brand theft'"
1254:"Airline founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou 'deeply unimpressive witness' – judge"
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established in June 1999, followed by EasyRentacar in 2000 which was renamed to
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The company was established to expand the "easy" brand following the launch of
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branded business ventures and websites in a wide range of sectors, including
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1091:"Winnington company forced to rebrand after easyGroup High Court threat"
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1337:"Hidden easyJet rudder makes it look like a plane is hidden in Wembley"
674:"EASYGROUP LTD overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK"
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90: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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correspondent, Rebecca
Smithers Consumer affairs (30 September 2018).
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1198:"Suing for Infringement of a Descriptive Trademark Isn't Easy (
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The easyGroup logo is known for its distinctive orange colour,
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In
September 2018, easyGroup was taking legal action against
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about several other ventures and brands listed on easy.com.
16:
British multinational branded venture capital conglomerate
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in 1995. The first use of "easy" after EasyJet was the
1118:"Netflix sued by easyJet founder in trademark dispute"
851:"How I Made It: Gyr King, founder of King & McGaw"
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878:"Easyart.com to face Stelios in 'easy' court action"
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644:(which ceased operations after it had been sold to
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737:Brian Rogers, Nirmaylia Kumar (1 January 2000).
702:"Witness Statement of Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou"
575:regarded as having some degree of similarity."
999:"Stelios takes easyJet to court over branding"
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8:
1610:Conglomerate companies of the United Kingdom
899:"EasyGroup drops action against Easyart.com"
258:
954:"Hard cheese for Stelios in EasyPizza case"
53:Learn how and when to remove these messages
1442:
1428:
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1196:Cornthwaite, Jonathan (1 September 2021).
283:Easygroup IP Licensing Limited (2000-2014)
257:
757:"EasyJet case turns spotlight on Stelios"
244:Learn how and when to remove this message
150:Learn how and when to remove this message
612:, financial intermediary services brand
479:in 2000. The group is registered in the
412:, United Kingdom and privately owned by
408:founded in 1998. It is headquartered in
1605:Holding companies of the United Kingdom
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1056:Osborne, Alistair (20 September 2011).
798:. June 2010. p. 12. Archived from
709:High Court of Justice Chancery Division
665:
1316:. Cruise Industry News. 18 August 2009
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932:"Posh Richemont latest to sue Stelios"
570:In September 2024, a judgement in the
1600:Holding companies established in 1998
1595:British companies established in 1998
1314:"EasyCruise Sold to Hellenic Seaways"
588:As of 2024, easyGroup lists over 200
7:
88:adding citations to reliable sources
1335:Marius, Callum (20 November 2022).
997:Robertson, David (16 August 2008).
976:"Easy name curry house climbs down"
483:, but operates from its office in
14:
824:Walker, Duncan (11 August 2004).
34:This article has multiple issues.
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1226:Yeomans, Jo (20 February 2022).
934:. The Register. 18 November 2005
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23:
1252:Farmer, Brian (13 April 2022).
711:. 16 March 2010. Archived from
75:needs additional citations for
42:or discuss these issues on the
1:
859:. 13 May 2012. Archived from
616:and African low-cost airline
956:. The Register. 20 June 2006
579:Subsidiaries and investments
557:EasyGroup Ltd v Easylife Ltd
897:Gibson, Owen (9 May 2003).
317:; 26 years ago
1631:
522:In 2002, Easyart.com (now
367:EasyGroup IP Licensing Ltd
1615:Companies based in London
826:"Can you 'own' a colour?"
263:
215:This article needs to be
1007:. London. Archived from
785:"EasyGroup Brand Manual"
604:Formerly owned companies
356:Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou
1301:easy.com - Explore easy
866:(subscription required)
549:over its comedy series
279:Gregshot Limited (2000)
739:"www.easyRentacar.com"
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177:is missing information
1372:at Wikimedia Commons
572:High Court of Justice
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1564:Stelios Haji-Ioannou
1303:retrieved 5 May 2024
1200:Easygroup v Easylife
564:Stelios Haji-Ioannou
414:Stelios Haji-Ioannou
84:improve this article
1490:easyJet Switzerland
1451:easyGroup companies
1283:, 11 September 2024
1037:. 21 September 2011
1035:Enfield Independent
978:. BBC. 23 July 2008
886:. 12 November 2002.
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1155:has generic name (
1095:Northwich Guardian
584:Current properties
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1368:Media related to
1011:on 7 January 2009
796:Smashing Magazine
494:easyGroup is the
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682:. 25 August 2000
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1177:. 2 August 2021
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1097:. 7 March 2012
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1009:the original
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903:The Guardian
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883:The Register
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