Piyush Pandey’s iconic ads that rewrote India’s advertising story

Indian advertising lost its north star today. Piyush Pandey, the legendary creative force who shaped how brands spoke, felt, and belonged in India has passed away, leaving behind a legacy that few in the global advertising world can parallel. He was not just an adman; he was the heartbeat of Indian communication.

Over a four-decade career with Ogilvy, Pandey changed the grammar of Indian advertising. He steered it away from borrowed Western idioms and towards a language rooted in the Indian street, home, and heart. His work resonated not because it was clever, but because it was true and drawn from the texture of ordinary life. From the laughter of a Fevicol ad to the quiet pride of Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, Pandey’s campaigns became part of India’s collective memory.

Under his leadership, Ogilvy became the country’s most awarded and influential creative powerhouse, shaping how brands like Cadbury, Asian Paints, and Vodafone connected with millions. In 2016, he was honoured with the Padma Shri for his contribution to the field, and in 2024, the London International Awards named him a Legend, a title that had already long belonged to him in spirit.

From humour-laced classics to socially charged storytelling, his campaigns became cultural markers of their time. Below is a look back at some of his most iconic and enduring works, each a masterclass in simplicity, insight, and emotional truth, and a reminder of why Piyush Pandey will always remain the face and voice of Indian advertising.

 Mile Sur Mera Tumhara (1988)

In 1988, Piyush Pandey wrote the lyrics for this national integration anthem, which became a cultural staple across India. It brought together diverse languages and regions under a unifying musical theme, demonstrating his early capacity to craft emotionally resonant, culturally rooted communication beyond purely commercial advertising.

https://youtu.be/JKueG7SnuWk?si=wzDaSPaK08KBXznZ

Luna Moped  - “Chal Meri Luna” (late 1980s)

One of his early TV-ads, this featured the Luna moped with a youthful vernacular voice and relatable tone. Pandey used local language and insight for an affordable vehicle brand, marking his early signature move of adapting advertising for everyday Indian audiences.

https://youtu.be/odJC-JC8rLg?si=mm2cRKOZsFx1ME-x

Sunlight Detergent (Print) - first ad written (early 1990s)

The first ad Pandey ever wrote was a print execution for Sunlight detergent. This milestone opened his creative journey and signalled how he moved from servicing into creative roles, setting the stage for the decades of work to follow.

Cadbury Dairy Milk - “Kuch Khaas Hai Hum Sabhi Mein” (1993)

This campaign repositioned a children’s chocolate into something adults would openly enjoy, using Hindi and culturally rooted imagery (a woman on a cricket field). It remains a benchmark in Indian advertising for its simplicity, emotional appeal and Hindi-first voice.

https://youtu.be/e7JATezA1nY?si=n_C83qGkrFYudYsa

Asian Paints - “Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai” (2002)

 Pandey helped evolve the brand from commodity paint to a storyteller of homes and traditions. With this campaign, he gave the paint category emotional depth, every home has a story, and used vernacular language and insight into Indian living spaces.

https://youtu.be/KdzRjvdK67w?si=IDW7EZ6-fBo5Yb_F

https://youtu.be/KdzRjvdK67w?si=LgU7gwg-28wGakdE

Ponds - “Googly Woogly Woosh” (2010)

For the skincare brand, Pandey’s campaign gave an energetic, playful voice: “Googly Woogly Woosh!!” It used fun, catchy language to position the product in a youthful idiom, another example of his effervescent, vernacular style.

https://youtu.be/Ii8dR35JkaM?si=RQYP38EAKZib9V9e  

TITAN - “The Joy of Gifting” (2013)

The campaign shifted a watch brand into an emotional gifting space, less about product specs, more about feelings, relationships, occasions. Pandey wrote the script and messaging, aligning the brand with memories and human connection rather than just timepieces.

https://youtu.be/PQxFL6Ce-XM?si=wqqm7WM-eojK2WQA

Fevikwik - “Todo Nahin, Jodo” (circa 2014)

With this instant-adhesive brand, Pandey gave a high-recall Hindi tagline: “Don’t break, join”. It turned a mundane everyday product into something memorable, emphasising its benefit and embedding itself into popular culture through everyday situations.

https://youtu.be/A4WZF74dAg4?si=Hh65enZ4GtBTQDiY

Fevicol - Fevicol Ka Mazboot Jod ads

Using bold visual metaphors (bus stuck together, fish glued to walls, sofa intact), Pandey turned an industrial adhesive into a household brand with big humour, vernacular voice and mass appeal. These campaigns showcased his signature of “Indian-ness” in advertising.

https://youtu.be/lzB5Yt3AS_w?si=2dQ7W8Aog2Etbln5

https://youtu.be/HMZ45fSOr1k?si=RMUapijlofFsUaLs

https://youtu.be/IzbSLQ8WQQc?si=jZnco2Xr3LeqmT6U

https://youtu.be/qpqQTF0dSJo?si=-MBZJ_WPG8-Y7UOj

Vodafone - Pug / ZooZoos campaigns (circa 2010s)

 The ZooZoo characters and other creative brand films for Vodafone gave a quirky, novel identity using visual ideas, minimal language yet high recall. Pandey’s work here reflected his ability to experiment within Indian contexts while delivering mass engagement.

https://youtu.be/r8ZC9uDg8Ik?si=53YxQyLghm-yHNCt

https://youtu.be/WgfQNqyP_vo?si=hVee0rN9vFFaf7MN

Cancer Patients Aid Association - Anti-smoking campaign (2000s)

Pandey created a campaign (“Second-hand smoke kills”) using persuasive storytelling for the non-profit sector. This work demonstrates his belief in advertising as a force for social change, extending beyond commercial brands.

 https://youtu.be/kfCx1awVYHk?si=jbnj-8NabgcjJsNy

Bharatiya Janata Party - “Ab Ki Baar, Modi Sarkar” (2014)

Pandey wrote the famous slogan for the 2014 general election campaign. It became part of national political communication, showing his influence beyond consumer brands into public-sphere messaging and culture.

https://youtu.be/aDc3ORPoPck?si=naBU4xjmANC32i-L

UNICEF / Polio-Eradication - “Do Boond Zindagi Ke” (2010s)

 In collaboration with government/public health agencies and featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Pandey led creative for the polio-eradication campaign. It used emotional storytelling and vernacular voice to help transform national behaviour and contributed to India being declared polio-free.

https://youtu.be/_Ax5-P7-oUs?si=ekVUwRlGB6-gkUO5

The Hindu - Stay Ahead of the Times (2011)

Created by Piyush Pandey and Ogilvy India, this bold campaign urged young audiences to think critically amid the growing noise of infotainment. With the tagline “Stay Ahead of the Times,” it positioned The Hindu as India’s most intellectually grounded newspaper, blending irony, wit, and social critique , a rare, thought-provoking piece of brand communication.

https://youtu.be/4q-4y0koc-g?si=8zBXBxuU2_9dn1E4

His passing marks not only the loss of a great creative mind but of an era that believed in storytelling before strategy, and emotion before metrics. As the industry mourns its most respected voice, what remains are the stories, timeless, simple, human, that Piyush Pandey left behind in every frame.