Piyush Pandey, the Indian advertising industry’s creative pioneer, passed away before his time at 70. He was the front face of one of the largest creative agencies, Ogilvy, for decades and became a legand over time with his Vodafone pug campaigns, Cadbury's 'Kuch Khaas Hai' and Asian Paints' 'Har Khushi Mein Rang Laye'. He was a disruptor of conventional ad practices and was comfortable in all genres. For instance, he was unabashed about fronting Prime Minister’s comeback in 2014, with the unforgettable slogan: "Ab ki baar, Modi sarkar."
In his eulogy to his friend and industry colleague, Raj Nayak remembers the out-of-the-box Piyush Pandey.
The Adman Who Loved His Lions
He roared with creativity, lived with laughter, and taught an entire generation that the best stories come from the heart.
I’ve known Piyush for almost three decades, first as an industry colleague and over time as a friend. It’s hard to imagine Indian advertising without him. He wasn’t just a creative genius; he was the beating heart of the industry, the man who gave Indian advertising its true voice and vernacular pride. His passing leaves behind a silence that feels too loud.
He had that unmistakable baritone, the big moustache he often groomed with two fingers, and a mischievous glint in his eye that could light up a room. He was a chain smoker, a man who loved his large peg and larger laughter. Whether it was at Cannes over beer at the “gutter bar” or late-night conversations in Taiwan, he was always the life of the moment, loud, witty, passionate, and disarmingly human.
Piyush was a storyteller in the truest sense. He could take the ordinary and make it unforgettable. He believed that advertising wasn’t about selling, it was about connecting, about finding that emotion that could live in a million hearts. He gave our industry the courage to speak in its own language, to be unapologetically Indian. The Lions he won at Cannes were not just awards for him; they were a celebration of that conviction that our stories could roar on the world stage.
Behind that towering creative mind was a lion-hearted man with a child’s spirit. I’ve seen him beam like a schoolboy every time his agency picked up an award, that same infectious joy spreading across everyone around him. He wasn’t one for pretense. He could be blunt, emotional, funny, and deeply kind, often all at once.
His relationships with clients were legendary. He didn’t just manage accounts; he built friendships that lasted decades. In a world where advertising can sometimes feel transactional, Piyush reminded us that creativity is built on trust, empathy, and mutual respect.
We shared many common friends such as Anant Rangaswamy, Pradeep Guha, and Bhaskar Das, all stalwarts in their own right and all deeply connected with him. With both Anant and Pradeep gone and now Piyush, it feels like an era of Indian advertising has truly come to an end.
Piyush Pandey was quite simply one of a kind, the lion-hearted adman who gave Indian advertising its soul. His wit, wisdom, and warmth will live on in every jingle that makes us smile, every line that makes us think, and every story that reminds us of who we are.
Some people leave behind legacies; others leave behind lessons. Piyush left both.
Miss you, my friend.
(Raj Nayak is the founder of House of Cheer Networks and Aidem Ventures, and former CEO of Colors and COO Viacom18. He was also head of advertising Star India.)
