Ethylene bridged azobenzenes are novel, promising molecular switches that are thermodynamically more stable in the (Z) than in the (E) configuration, contrary to the linear azobenzene. However, their previous synthetic routes were often not general, and yields were poorly reproducible, and sometimes very low. Here we present a new synthetic strategy that is both versatile and reliable. Starting from widely available 2-bromobenzyl bromides, the designated molecules can be obtained in three simple steps.