How easyJet became unmistakable (take notes)

The Power of Brand Consistency

We’ll get to easyJet in a moment, but have you heard of easy.com? The easy brand didn’t start with an airline…it started as a vision. In 1994, Stelios Haji-Ioannou saw an opportunity: Europe was opening its skies, and low-cost airlines in the U.S. were proving that price elasticity could disrupt the industry. But what he really built wasn’t just an airline, it was a masterclass in branding.

His formula?

• Make travel possible.
• Make it cheap.
• Make it orange.

What started as an idea on a napkin, quickly became an empire. Today, there are over 210 easy brands that all adhere to the same positioning model: low-cost, high-value, and unmistakably orange. The real genius was Stelios retaining ownership of the ‘easy’ brand and licensing it out, turning easyGroup into a royalty-earning machine. A ‘family business’ they call it, and one that stays ruthlessly focused on its core positioning. The easy.com website itself is so committed to simplicity it’s almost a novelty for a business of that size. If one thing’s for sure, their brand history film, a 400pg brand history book and their unapologetic brand system has my attention.

*Note 1: They own their look and feel: easyJet is impossible to mistake for any other airline.
Orange everywhere. Lowercase logo. Simple, straight-talking messaging

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The Golden Child: easyJet

easyJet wasn’t just the first easy brand, it’s the most successful. Imagine being the best of 209 siblings.
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From the start, easyJet made its position clear:

• Not British Airways.
• Not Ryanair.
• Just easy.

That clarity gave them room to own the low-cost travel space without apology. They were also ahead of their time, pioneering online bookings in Europe and going direct-to-consumer before it was even a trend. They embraced their no-frills reputation, stayed bold, and never watered down their identity.

*Note 2: They reinforce what makes them great. Some brands feel the need to reinvent themselves every year. easyJet doesn’t.

Consistency = Yin, Versatility = Yang

Beyond that, easyJet has long embraced playful, memorable marketing. From tongue-in-cheek TV spots to billboards that poke fun at Brexit, easyJet’s marketing has always had a strong POV. Even their early TV ads leaned into simplicity: no flashy effects, just affordable travel for all.

“Where are you going?” A Brexit-era campaign that turned uncertainty into a moment of levity with lines like: “Tears dry faster in the sun.” “End up in Málaga, not Margate.”

“Get Out There” (2023) – Created by VCCP London, it’s a love letter to the joy of travel, featuring famous figures like the Mona Lisa breaking free from their frames to explore the world. No AI, by the way. Just real people, a simple story, and visuals that click. It’s the kind of brand reinforcement that only works when your identity is this strong. Watch it here.

*Note 3: They don’t take themselves too seriously. Marketing doesn’t always need to be groundbreaking. It needs to be relatable.

‘Meet Your Captain’ easyJet doesn't stop at grabbing the attention of their customers. They’re all about building the easy fam, with one their recent recruitment campaigns turning heads by placing a real pilot on a mounted billboard seat, creating the illusion of a cockpit. This challenges perceptions and inspires potential applicants to take a test and see if they have what it takes to join easyJet:
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A nod to easyJet’s commitment to diversity in aviation, echoing their previous Amy Johnson Initiative, which aimed to increase the number of female pilots.

*Note 4: Their campaigns are playful, direct and never generic.
Many brands get lost in ‘what if?’ whereas easyJet thinks ‘why not?’

My take?

easyJet isn’t just an airline; it’s a lesson in brand clarity. They don’t reinvent themselves with every campaign, but reinforce what they stand for. That kind of consistency builds recognition and, more importantly, trust.
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1. Be distinctive, not different for the sake of it. easyJet’s branding is simple, but it’s impossible to mistake for anything else.
2. Own a visual identity. Everything can be orange. You can use the lowercase font. You can be confident and casual at the same time. Own it.
3. Commit to a tone of voice. easyJet is playful but purposeful. They’re never overly polished, and that’s exactly the point.
4. Reinforce, don’t reinvent. The strongest brands don’t constantly chase trends, they remind people why they matter in the first place.

easyJet proves that the best brands don’t try to be everything. They just double down on what makes them great. Success doesn’t always come from chasing the next big thing and more often than not, it comes from doing what you do best, over and over and over again, until no one can imagine the industry without you.