The Towering Legacy of Piyush Pandey in the global advertising industry

Advertising icon and creative legend Piyush Pandey is no more. He was 70.

Pandey was the Chief Creative Officer Worldwide and Executive Chairman India of Ogilvy. A towering figure in the global advertising industry, he was the recipient of the LIA Legend Award (2024) and the Padma Shri (2016), among numerous other honors.

 His voice, vision, and vernacular shaped the modern Indian advertising narrative. This is an end of era he built from scratch, script by script.

Pandey is widely credited with championing a distinctively Indian voice in advertising—moving the industry away from a Westernized tone and helping it find its rhythm, rooted in the country’s culture, language, and emotion.

Pandey’s advertising journey began in 1982, when he joined Ogilvy as a client servicing executive. One of his first assignments was for the detergent brand Sunlight. Within six years, he had moved to the creative department—a space where his natural storytelling flair flourished. He soon created memorable campaigns for brands like Lumo, Fevicol, Cadbury, and Asian Paints.

By 1994, he had risen to become the agency’s national creative director and was nominated to Ogilvy’s board of directors the same year. Under his leadership, Ogilvy India was ranked the No. 1 Agency for 12 consecutive years in The Economic Times’ Brand Equity Agency Reckoner and was also named the Most Effective Agency in India by the Effie Awards. He became the first jury president from Asia for the Cannes Lions Festival.

Over the years, Pandey’s work didn’t just win awards; it resonated with the hearts and minds of millions. In 2020, he was named to the Ogilvy Worldwide Board. He also mentors creative executives from across the world at the Berlin School of Creative Leadership.

Pandey’s work is a masterclass in simplicity, emotion, and Indian ethos. His advertising campaigns read like a playlist of nostalgia and cultural memory:

Fevikwik and Fevicol classics like Todo Nahi, Jodo, Fevicol sofa, and the unforgettable “bus stuck with Fevicol” ad.

Googly Woogly Woosh!! – Ponds

Cadbury Dairy Milk – Kuch Khaas Hai

Vodafone – ZooZoo

Asian Paints – Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai

Bajaj – Hamara Bajaj

Political advertising such as BJP’s 2014 campaign featuring the tagline Abki Baar Modi Sarkar

Collaborations with celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan for Polio Abhiyaan.

 His campaigns for social causes—anti-smoking efforts for the Cancer Patients Association and awareness campaigns for HIV and gender equity—are equally impactful.

Bharat Dabholkar, advertising expert and actor, expressed his condolences on Pandey’s passing, sharing a note on social media:

My friend Piyush Pandey the most celebrated and admired Indian advertising man, passed away this morning.

When I got into advertising the most admired name was kamlesh pande, and during my own advertising journey, the most admired name was piyush pande.

 And I used to always jokingly say, if I ever write my advertising biography, I would call it My journey from Pande to Pande.

 Farewell piyush .

 Advertising will never be the same without you.

Not just a creative director, Pandey was also a published author. His books include Pandeymonium (2015) and Open House with Piyush Pandey (2022), both of which offer a behind-the-scenes look at the stories behind his campaigns and philosophies.

 Interestingly, Pandey also dipped his toes into acting. He appeared alongside John Abraham and Nargis Fakhri in Madras Café and featured in ICICI Bank’s Magic Pencil Project campaign.

 Piyush Pandey’s trophy cabinet is as extensive as his influence. He was named the most influential man in Indian advertising for eight consecutive years by The Economic Times. He was the first Asian jury president at Cannes Lions in outdoor and press categories, and the only Indian to have won double gold at Cannes for the Cancer Patients Association campaign. He also won a Clio Lifetime Achievement Award and the Asian Creative Person of the Year award by Media Asia in 2002.

In India, he was awarded the civilian honor of Padma Shri in 2016, and in 2018, he and his brother Prasoon Pandey made history as the first Indians to win the Lions Lifetime Achievement award at Cannes.

In September 2023, Ogilvy announced a major leadership change, with Pandey stepping down to transition into the role of Chief Advisor of the agency, effective January 1, 2024. With over four decades in the business and a legacy few can match, his creative leadership now continues in an advisory role, shaping the next generation of ideas and ideators.

 He may not be with us anymore, but his words, his voice, and his ideas would continue to inspire an industry, echoing through every brand jingle, every punchline, and every story that dares to be rooted in truth. His legacy is not just what he created—it’s what he made possible.