Piyush Pandey — An irreplaceable legend who taught India to dream in its own language

Ganapathy Viswanathan, who knew legendary adman Piyush Pandey for over four decades, has paid a heartfelt tribute to the creative icon. Reflecting on their long association, Viswanathan recalls Pandey’s profound impact on Indian advertising, and the lessons he imparted to generations of marketers and creatives.

This morning, when my friend and a very close friend of Piyush Pandey gave me the news of the legend’s passing, I was shell-shocked.

I grew up with Piyush. We almost joined Ogilvy around the same time in the early ’80s, I was an Assistant to the Account Executive, and Piyush was an Account Executive. Starting his career in account management, he later moved to the creative side. Because of his sheer creative talent, he was handpicked by Mr. Suresh Mullick to head the Indian Languages division in the late ’80s, when Indian advertising was expanding and opening up to new horizons.

When Piyush took charge of the Indian Languages cell, he wrote in one of the internal newsletters:

“Our job is to talk to the consumer in the language he or she dreams in. We have a strong heritage and reputation that have strengthened over the last ten years or so. Take over the full mantle and translate this effort into bringing our brands closer to the consumer in a language that makes sense.”

From there on, Piyush was unstoppable. Year after year, he created memorable campaigns  from Chal Meri Luna to Cadbury’s Eclairs and Rath Vanaspati, to name just a few. His pathbreaking work for Cadbury Dairy Milk lifted the brand to new heights. That iconic cricket commercial remains as fresh and evergreen today as when it first aired, inspiring several adaptations that still feel just as refreshing.

Piyush also played a major role in shaping Fevicol. It was a tough brand to handle in those days, as it had minimal budgets. But Piyush took on the challenge and turned it into one of India’s most iconic brands, creating some of the best work in a low-involvement category. Those campaigns won many awards and became benchmarks for creative excellence.

His brilliance shone across brands, Asian Paints, Cadbury, Vodafone and even in the BJP campaign that helped boost the party during the Lok Sabha elections.

Piyush often said, “Life is a game of cricket.” The game taught him how to be a team player, to accept victory and defeat with grace. This same philosophy guided his advertising career. He nurtured his team, spotted talent, and gave people the creative freedom to grow. Many of those who worked under him went on to become creative leaders in their own right.

Recently, when I approached him to write a comment for my book PR: Mastering the Message, he readily agreed and shared his thoughts. Though he rarely worked directly in PR, his deep understanding of communication helped him craft a meaningful message for the book.

He strongly believed in powerful ideas — but he also cared deeply about client satisfaction. If a campaign didn’t go through, he never lost heart. His energy and optimism were infectious. He would return to the drawing board, rework the brief, and come up with something even better.

I had the privilege of interacting with the Guru during my early days at Ogilvy. He was always approachable, jovial, and full of life. That trademark bushy moustache and hearty laughter gave him a distinct personality — one that perfectly matched his creative brilliance.

The industry has lost a true legend a man who brought Indian advertising to the world stage through hard work, passion, and ideas that connected deeply with people.

Rest in peace, Piyush. You will always be remembered.