Ila Arun reflects – Piyush Pandey, the creative force who transformed the face and soul of Indian advertising, passed away on Friday morning. He was 70 years old.
Speaking to indianexpress. com, his sister, acclaimed singer-actor Ila Arun, confirmed, “My brother passed away at 5. 50 am this morning because of pneumonia complications.
He was in the ICU. As a sister, I can say he was a precious brother and the life of our family. He was an ad guru who told long stories in 30 seconds.
” Speaking about people who admired his work and have been sending condolences to the family after his passing away, she stated, “He had a large extended family of people who have been calling to share their grief. He was down-to-earth, proud, and always encouraged others with his words, ‘front foot se khelo’ (play from the front foot), emphasising self-belief and giving one’s best in everything one does. We will always cherish his memory.
” Story continues below this ad “The memorial service will be held tomorrow at 11 am in Shivaji Park, Mumbai,” informed Ila. Widely regarded as the man who gave Indian advertising its voice, Pandey spent over four decades at Ogilvy India, the agency that became almost synonymous with his name and vision.
His death marks the end of an era in which advertising spoke not from ivory towers, but from the heart of India. With his booming laugh, his trademark moustache, and his instinct for stories rooted in the everyday lives of people, Pandey changed the language, texture, and emotional depth of brand communication in the country. The campaigns that became cultural touchstones Pandey’s genius lay in his ability to transform commercial messages into cultural memories.
Here are four of his most iconic ads that made him a household name in the advertising world: Story continues below this ad Cadbury Dairy Milk The 1993 Cadbury Cricket ad featured a girl dancing on a cricket pitch to celebrate her boyfriend’s century. Shimona Rashi, the ad’s protagonist, became an instant star with her unbridled dance on the cricket field, dodging security and expressing pure joy, resonating with viewers as it defied societal norms and celebrated uninhibited happiness.
The campaign transformed Cadbury from a children’s chocolate into a brand for every celebration. The tagline Asli Swaad Zindagi Ka went beyond just eating chocolate, becoming a life motto signifying the authentic experiences and moments that make life truly beautiful.
Piyush Pandey reshaped the advertising industry in India (Source: Express Archives) Piyush Pandey reshaped the advertising industry in India (Source: Express Archives) Fevicol In early 2002, television audiences across India watched in amazement as a bus crammed with close to 120 people, with even animals, swayed through Jaisalmer’s desert roads. Nobody fell off.
Why? Because everything was stuck with Fevicol. The ad was shot in the sand dunes with two hundred villagers, with the production team creating ditches on alternate sides of the road to make the bus sway dramatically.
Pandey himself noted that the magic of this campaign lay in its simplicity. The message was clear and universal: Fevicol ka mazboot jod hai, tootega nahin (Fevicol’s strong bond will never break).
Through humour that resonated from metros to villages, Pandey transformed a prosaic adhesive brand into beloved cultural folklore. Story continues below this ad Hutch/Vodafone A small white pug waddled into India’s collective consciousness in 2003, following a young boy named Jayaram through the streets of Goa. The one-minute ad carried a simple message: ‘Wherever you go, our network follows.
’ No celebrity endorsements, no elaborate explanations, just a wordless story that conveyed network reliability through the universal language of loyalty and companionship. The campaign, created overnight by senior creative directors at Ogilvy, became one of India’s most recognisable mascots.
The pug featured in the ad earned considerable fame and fortune, appearing in Hutch ads until the Vodafone merger. Asian Paints In 2002, Pandey summoned Asian Paints executives to the Ogilvy office and recited two paragraphs he’d written in one sitting, according to Afaqs. His famous baritone voice delivered four lines, then four more.
When he finished, witnesses recall, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. The campaign, titled Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai (Every Home Says Something) transformed paint from a functional purchase into an emotional expression of identity.
The campaign gave consumers an emotional reason to invest in their homes, appealing to the pride one feels in creating and showcasing a beautiful living space. Story continues below this ad Despite his fame and accolades, Pandey remained self-effacing, always crediting teamwork over individual genius. Under his leadership, Ogilvy India became one of the most awarded agencies in the world.
As the advertising industry prepares to say goodbye, they remember a man who didn’t just create campaigns, he gave India its advertising soul.