Piyush Pandey, legendary Indian advertising maestro, passes away

Piyush Pandey, the towering creative force who reshaped Indian advertising, passed away on Thursday, 23 October, leaving behind a legacy that transformed the language, soul, and reach of the industry. Widely regarded as the man who gave Indian advertising its voice and its distinct Indian accent, Pandey spent over four decades at Ogilvy India, the agency that became synonymous with his vision.

On 15 August 1988, voices rose together as Mile Sur Mera Tumhara (the iconic Indian music video and patriotic song released marking India’s Independence celebrations that year) filled the airwaves — not just a song, but a moment of shared identity. Behind it was Pandey, a man who rarely sought the spotlight, yet whose ideas and instincts for storytelling had quietly shaped how millions of Indians saw themselves through advertising.

His death marks the end of an era when advertising spoke from the heart of India rather than from ivory towers. Known for his booming laugh, trademark moustache, and instinct for stories rooted in the everyday lives of people, Pandey changed the texture, tone, and emotional depth of brand communication across the country.

Pandey joined Ogilvy in 1982 after brief stints as a cricketer, tea taster, and construction worker. At 27, he entered an advertising world dominated by English — and changed it forever. His campaigns for brands like Asian Paints (“Har khushi mein rang laaye”), Cadbury (“Kuch Khaas Hai”), Fevicol, and Hutch became cultural touchstones, introducing Hindi and colloquial Indian idioms into mainstream advertising with humour, warmth, and humanity.

“He changed not just the language of Indian advertising,” said a longtime colleague. “He changed its grammar.”

Despite his fame, Pandey remained self-effacing, often describing himself as part of a team rather than its star. A passionate cricketer, he likened advertising to a team sport. “A Brian Lara can’t win for the West Indies alone,” he once said. “Then who am I?”

Under his leadership, Ogilvy India became one of the most awarded agencies globally and a training ground for generations of creative leaders.

In 2018, Pandey and his brother, filmmaker Prasoon Pandey, became the first Asians to receive the prestigious Lion of St. Mark at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, recognising a lifetime of work that elevated Indian storytelling to international acclaim.

Pandey was known for his belief that advertising must touch hearts, not just impress minds. He often warned young creatives against chasing technology or trends at the expense of originality. “Somewhere, you need to touch the hearts,” he said. “No audience is going to see your work and say, ‘How did they do it?’ They will say, ‘I love it.’”

Even as India’s advertising landscape evolved, Pandey’s influence endured. He helped craft one of India’s most memorable political slogans — “Ab ki baar, Modi sarkar” — but his deeper legacy lies in the generations of storytellers he inspired to embrace authenticity, emotion, and local relevance.

When he stepped down as Executive Chairman of Ogilvy India in 2023 to take on an advisory role, it marked the quiet close of a chapter written in bold, booming Hindi and sealed with his wry smile.

Pandey is survived by his family and the countless colleagues who became his extended family. His body of work continues to define the heart and soul of Indian advertising. He once said the best ideas come “from the street, from life, from listening.” In doing so, he gave India not just great advertisements, but a language of its own.