Advertising legend Piyush Pandey passes away at 70

Advertising icon Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman of Ogilvy India and creator of iconic campaigns like Fevicol, Cadbury, and “Abki Baar Modi Sarkar,” passed away at 70. A Padma Shri and CLIO Lifetime Achievement winner, he revolutionized Indian advertising with indigenous creativity

Mumbai: Advertising legend Piyush Pandey, who gave Indian advertising its distinct character, passed away at the age of 70 on Thursday. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta and musician Ehsaan Noorani mourned the loss of the trailblazer who shaped Indian advertising.

Hansal took to X and wrote: “Fevicol ka jod toot gaya. The ad world lost its glue today. Go well Piyush Pandey. Ehsaan said Piyush Panday redefined creativity in advertising. Rest in Peace Piyush Pandey the man who redefined creativity in advertising and creating the most memorable campaigns,” he wrote on X, formerly called Twitter.

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Piyush Pandey was an advertising professional and Executive Chairman India of Ogilvy. He is the recipient of the LIA Legend Award and the Padma Shri award.He is credited with shaping a distinct indigenous influence on Indian advertising that was earlier under the influence of western advertising and ideas.

It was in 1982, when his journey in advertising began after he joined Ogilvy. His notable ads like Luna moped, Fevicol, Cadbury and Asian paints. Three years later he was promoted to creative director, and then to national creative director.

Born in Jaipur, Piyush’s siblings include film director Prasoon Pandey and singer-actor Ila Arun. He played the Ranji Trophy for the state of Rajasthan. He worked as a tea taster. Some of his most memorable campaigns include the BJP’s 2014 election campaign “Abki Baar Modi Sarkar” with the iconic slogan “Achche Din Aane Wale Hain”, the Polio awareness campaign featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Chal Meri Luna, Googly Woogly Woosh, the Bell Bajao initiative, the anti-smoking campaign for the Cancer Patients Association, and the Khushboo Gujarat Ki tourism campaign, among many others.

Piyush Pandey made history as the first Asian jury president at the Cannes Film Festival in 2004. He later received the CLIO Lifetime Achievement Award.