Remembering Piyush Pandey: The Legendary Ad Guru Who Made Brands Speak India’s Language

For everyone who lived through the 90s, that one iconic Cadbury Dairy Milk advertisement, “Kuch Khaas Hai”, holds the sweetest nostalgia. The ad shows a girl dancing on the cricket ground after her boyfriend

hits a six, a moment that made everyone smile. The two stunning models, Shimona Rashi and Arvin Tucker, made for a gorgeous couple, while the jingle sung by Shankar Mahadevan brought Dairy Milk into everyone’s life.This masterpiece was created by Piyush Pandey. The legend of the advertising industry passed away on Thursday after battling a month-long illness. He was 70.Under him, Indian advertising never felt like a chore to sit through. For those who grew up in the 90s, ad breaks were something to look forward to. Many of them were born from his ideas. His work with Fevicol, the adhesive brand, became one of the most famous campaigns in India. The tagline “Fevicol ka mazboot jod hai, tootega nahin” became part of everyday language. Who can forget the overcrowded bus on a bumpy road where no one falls off because it is all held together with Fevicol?The popularity of pugs in India can also be credited to Pandey’s Vodafone (then Hutch) TV commercial, “You and I, in this Beautiful World.” It was Cheeka, the pug, who made Hutch a household name. The little dog following his favourite human everywhere stood for network reliability, but it was the emotion in the ad that made it unforgettable. This was before Vodafone officially entered India by acquiring Hutchison Essar’s stake in their joint venture.The late ad guru, known as the Father of Indian Advertising, joined Ogilvy in 1982. He was known for creating campaigns that did not just sell products. They became part of people’s daily lives, with taglines that slipped easily into everyday conversations. He was one of the rare few who made ads a part of India’s popular culture.Under his leadership, Ogilvy India became one of the most awarded agencies in the world. Along with his brother, Prasoon Pandey, he became one of the first Asians to receive the Lion of St. Mark at Cannes Lions, an honour given for a lifetime of creative achievement.In 1994, he became the National Creative Director of Ogilvy & Mather India. In 2004, he made history as the first Jury President from Asia at the Cannes Lions Festival. In recognition of his contributions, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2016.Such was his genius that even an offhand comment could turn into something unforgettable. The famous “Chutki mein chipkaaye, Fevikwik” ad was his idea. A team, along with Prasoon, was brainstorming for Pidilite’s Fevikwik when Pandey walked in, ready to head out for a beer. When the team said they still had work to do, he simply said, “What’s there in Fevikwik? Someone puts it on a stick, dips it in water, and catches fish.” That one line became the spark for an iconic ad. It showed a cheerful villager dabbing a few drops of Fevikwik on a stick, dipping it into the river, and pulling out four fish, while a fancily dressed man beside him looks frustrated and catches nothing.Before advertising, the legendary AD Guru had many lives. He played cricket at the state level and even worked as a tea-taster, travelling through small towns and villages. Those experiences, he often said, helped him understand the everyday Indian , their humour, their hopes and the rhythm of their lives. It was this deep connection with ordinary people that later shaped the honesty and warmth of his advertising.Here’s to the man who showed us that magic lies in the ordinary and in emotions.