Piyush Pandey inducted into The One Club's Creative Hall of Fame

Piyush Pandey has been inducted into The One Club for Creativity's Creative Hall of Fame as part of its 2026 class, nearly a year after his passing. The induction ceremony was held on September 16 at Capitale in New York.

Pandey, widely regarded as the father of modern Indian advertising, spent over four decades at Ogilvy, eventually rising to become the agency's Global Chief Creative Officer. He passed away on October 24, 2025, at the age of 70.

The One Club recognised Pandey for transforming the industry by bringing the language, humour and humanity of everyday India into the heart of brand storytelling. The Creative Hall of Fame, established in 1961 with the induction of Leo Burnett, honours lifetime achievement in advertising, design and education, with inductees evaluated on impact, influence and inspiration.

Ogilvy marked the occasion with an exclusive film and a program advertisement featured at the ceremony, tracing Pandey's legacy through his body of work and the generations of creatives he mentored. The tribute described him in terms spanning his professional and personal life, from his role in shaping some of the world's biggest brands and his contribution to India's polio eradication effort, to his identity as a storyteller, mentor and family man.

The 2026 Creative Hall of Fame class also includes Rosie Arnold, formerly of BBH; Janet Champ of Wieden+Kennedy; John C Jay, known for his work with Nike and Uniqlo; Caroline R. Jones, the first Black female vice-president at a major advertising agency; and Joyce King Thomas, the creative lead behind Mastercard's "Priceless" campaign. Michael Conrad, former Global Chief Creative Officer at Leo Burnett Worldwide, was inducted into the Educators Hall of Fame in the same ceremony.

Over his career, Pandey shaped several of India's most recognisable campaigns, including Cadbury Dairy Milk's "Asli Swaad Zindagi Ka" the Fevicol series, and the country's Polio Eradication campaign with UNICEF. He received the Padma Shri in 2016 and was awarded the Padma Bhushan earlier this year.