Piyush Pandey, the man often credited with transforming the face of Indian advertising, passed away on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
Piyush Pandey, who was often lauded for making the impact of Indian advertising, breathed his last on Thursday. Often referred to as the man who helped Indian advertising find its voice and its accent, Piyush Pandey had given over four decades at Ogilvy India. Piyush Pandey had joined Ogilvy in 1982 following brief stints not just as a cricketer, but also tea taster, and construction worker. Piyush Pandey was just 27 when he made his entry to ad world which was dominated by English. Such was his efforts that he managed to change it forever. He was lauded for his work for brands including Asian Paints, Cadbury, Fevicol, and Hutch.
All about Piyush Pandey
Piyush Pandey, born in Jaipur, got involved with advertising at an early stage. Together with his brother Prasoon Pandey, he sang the jingles for the radio. Prior to his joining Ogilvy in 1982, he occupied different posts from cricket to tea tasting and even construction. It was indeed at Ogilvy that he carved out his own niche and revolutionized the very discourse of the Indian advertising sector. At the age of 27, when the advertising domain was still heavily immersed in English and elite notions, Piyush managed to get all the accolades by making ads in the people’s language. His captivating commercials—Asian Paints’ “Har Khushi Me Rang Laaye,” Cadbury’s “Kuch Khaas Hai,” Frevicol’s notable “Egg” ad, and Hutch’s “Pug Wala Ad”—were not only accepted but also absorbed into the Indian culture.
People could easily connect with his storytelling and humor which were very simple and genuine. His co-workers would tell that he had changed not only the language of Indian advertising but also its grammar. However, Piyush has very much kept his humbleness notwithstanding his great success. He would not allow himself to feel like a star and would always give the example, “A Brian Lara can’t win for the West Indies alone, then who am I?” His principle was that of cooperation and straightforwardness, which incidentally, was also the hallmark of his work.
Piyush Pandey accomplishments
With his guidance, Ogilvy India turned into one of the most prosperous and decorated agencies in the world. In 2018, along with his brother Prasoon Pandey, Piyush was awarded the Lion of St. Mark Award at the Cannes Film Festival making them the first Asians to receive this honor. He was also the first Asian to be the jury president at Cannes in 2004. Additionally, the Clio Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and the Padma Shri from the Government of India conferred him distinction among the first Indian advertising personalities.
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