Piyush was a swadeshi game changer: Rajdeep Sardesai
He made mass communication feel truly Indian, intimate, accessible and deeply familiar writes Sardesai
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Published: Oct 24, 2025 3:18 PM | 2 min read
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We all know Piyush Pandey as India’s Mr. Advertising. But what many may not fully grasp is the scale and depth of his influence, not just on Indian advertising, but on the very language of brand storytelling in this country.
What’s less widely known is the pivotal role he played in Bharatiya Janata Party’s 2014 media campaign for Narendra Modi, a strategic communication masterstroke that helped redefine the political narrative of that election. I chronicled that campaign in my 2014 election book, and Piyush’s imprint on its creative architecture was unmistakable.
But beyond the boardrooms and brainstorms, Piyush was a man of many passions. He was also a very good cricketer, who played decently at the university level, something he spoke of with a glint in his eye, much like a boy reliving a perfect cover drive.
A true bon vivant with his trademark moustache and ever-smiling, energetic persona, Piyush embodied the spirit of modern Indian advertising. His genius lay in rooting much of it in the sights, sounds and idioms of India’s local languages. He made mass communication feel truly Indian, intimate, accessible and deeply familiar.
His creativity had a rare mass touch wrapped in a unique sensibility. Think of his iconic campaigns: Cadbury’s “Kuch khaas hai” or Fevicol’s unforgettable ads. There was nothing contrived about them. They were simple, rooted, witty, and utterly memorable. In a world dominated by anglicised advertising, Piyush was a swadeshi game changer, blending emotion, insight, and storytelling like no other.
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