Tribute to Piyush Pandey, the artist who created wonder in advertisements

NEW DELHI: Piyush Pandey, a veteran who wowed audiences with his advertisements, has passed away. He was behind notable advertisements for Fevicol, Cadbury and Asian Paints. He was battling pneumonia and died at the age of 70 due to complications from the ailment. The last rites will be held on Saturday.

Piyush Pandey has been active in the advertising industry for nearly 40 years. He has served as Chief Creative Officer and Executive Chairman of the renowned advertising firm Ogilvy. Pandey joined Ogilvy in 1982. He wrote his first ad for Sunlight detergent. Six years later, he joined the company's creative department and went on to create notable ads for brands such as Fevicol, Cadbury, Asian Paints, Luna Moped, Fortune Oil and many others. Under Piyush Pandey's leadership, Ogilvy was ranked the number one agency for 12 consecutive years by The Economic Times' Agency Reckoner survey.

Pandey was awarded the Padma Shri in 2016. He has received many other awards and accolades. In 2013, Pandey made his acting debut with John Abraham starrer 'Madras Cafe' and ICICI Bank's marketing campaign 'Magic Pencil Project Videos'. Pandey wrote the song 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhara,' which promote national integration and the idea of ​​unity in diversity. He also co-wrote the film 'Bhopal Express'.

Many prominent figures from the socio-political arena paid tribute to him. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman paid tribute to advertising legend Piyush Pandey on X following his death. Calling him “a titan and legend of Indian advertising,” Sitharaman said he “transformed communication by bringing everyday idioms, earthy humour, and genuine warmth into it. His legacy will continue to inspire generations, Nirmala Sitharaman added. Uday Kotak, founder of Kotak Mahindra, said that Pandey weaved creativity with an Indian context.