Major Ingram and his wife Diana complained about the ad, which showed a picture of them with the headline "Need a cheap getaway?". The ad went on to read "No major fraud required, lowest fares to the sun". The Ingrams said it was an invasion of privacy, because their image was used without permission and that it was offensive and distressing.
EasyJet said that it was one of a series of humorous topical ads using celebrities who had been in the public eye recently. It admitted that it had not obtained written permission from the Ingrams, even though the code recommends advertisers do so, but said that the picture was already in the public domain.
The Advertising Standards Authority rejected both complaints, because although it acknowledged that while the Ingrams maintained their innocence, it said that the ad portrayed them in a way that was consistent with the verdicts.
The Ingrams were found guilty in April this year of winning the ITV quiz show 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?' in a scam with the college professor Tecwen Whittock, who coughed to indicate to Charles Ingram the correct answers.
It is not the first time that EasyJet has been in trouble for using the likeness of someone in the public eye -- the budget airline found itself in trouble with David Beckham's agent after it used the footballer's picture in an ad headlined "Hair today gone tomorrow".
EasyJet escaped censure by the ASA with another of its ads, which showed a pair of bra-clad breasts and the headline "Weapons of Mass Distraction". A further ad has been accused by The Economist of ripping off its "Management trainee, aged 42" execution.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .