The Indian advertising fraternity stands in collective silence today. Piyush Pandey, whose unmistakable moustache, resonant voice, and instinctive approach to storytelling reshaped brand communication in India, has passed away at the age of 70. His loss signifies the close of a remarkable era that championed authenticity and spoke to the everyday Indian experience rather than distant, elite sensibilities.
Pandey believed that the most powerful advertising emerged from lived realities. He infused Hindi and colloquial language into mainstream campaigns that did more than market products.
During his tenure, Ogilvy India evolved into one of the world’s most awarded creative agencies and a vibrant launchpad for new talent. His influence extended beyond national borders, culminating in his appointment as the first Asian to serve as jury president at the prestigious Cannes Lions Festival, cementing his legacy as a global creative leader.
Across the industry, former Ogilvy colleagues and creative professionals who worked closely with Pandey are paying heartfelt tributes to the leader who shaped their craft and careers.
Many recall his sharp instinct for ideas rooted in everyday India, his generosity as a mentor, and his unwavering belief in the power of simplicity. Their messages reflect deep admiration for a man who not only defined an era in advertising but also nurtured a generation of storytellers who now carry his legacy forward.
Azazul Haque, Group Chief Creative Officer, Creativeland Asia used to address him as his Dronacharya. “I told him once, ‘I’m your Eklavya,’ because I was an outsider in Ogilvy. I joined much later in my career as a GCD, but whatever I learnt in advertising, I learnt from him. He would laugh every time I said that. In the early years, we worked together on Rajasthan Tourism and Madhya Pradesh Tourism—campaigns very close to his heart. I had the honour of working with him on MP Tourism, and I remember an incident that perfectly explains who Piyush was. We were in a meeting for a big brand. Everyone had written their campaigns, including Piyush—because no matter where he reached, he always wanted to write. During the client presentation, he said, ‘You’ve heard all the campaigns; the worst script is mine.’ Imagine that humility. That was Piyush. His ideas were big, yes—but his stature was bigger, his heart was bigger, his laughter was bigger, his embrace was bigger. Every part of him was larger than life. When I moved to Bangalore to head Ogilvy there, people jokingly called it the ‘rogue nation’ because I was the rebel in the Ogilvy family. But Piyush would call me almost every second day, like a father. He would say, ‘You are Sachin Tendulkar, but you need to be like Saurav Ganguly—the captain.’ He was always teaching, always building people. And by building people, he built Ogilvy. He built Indian advertising. He built many of us.
Piyush wasn’t just an individual, he was an institution, an entire industry in himself. He was always giving, always sharing what he had learnt.
And his laughter... it filled the room. I often tell people, he hasn’t passed away—he has passed on himself to all of us. People who pass on themselves never really go away; they live within us. I see him in my words, my ideas, my writing—and I’m not alone. Many of us will carry him forward in our work. That’s what makes someone truly immortal.
His words will always echo around us. His inspiration, his laughter, his moustache—they’ll never fade. Even now, people tell me, ‘You laugh like Piyush.’ It’s true. I never had a sound in my laugh before Ogilvy. After working with him, I started laughing like him—‘Ha-ha-ha’—that was Piyush. He taught us how to laugh. His laugh was as big as his ideas, his heart as big as his hugs. He never shook hands; he always hugged. And that’s why he’ll never really be gone. People like Piyush don’t leave—they stay, in words, in ideas, in laughter, in hugs. Always around us.”
Lorraine Martin, Former Corporate Communications Head of Ogilvy India, says that Piyush Pandey's humility, honesty and the complete trust he had in her will stay with me always. He always treated her as an equal.
“Piyush seldom ‘talked down’ to colleagues, or for that matter, anyone. Someone once said, ‘to add value to others, one must first value others’, and this was Piyush. I consider myself blessed to have had the privilege to work closely with him for almost 3 decades. He built and created leaders who he was confident would carry on his legacy. He created countless unforgettable accolades and milestones for Ogilvy in India and Worldwide."
“Piyush always said to me, If I don't retire, you cannot retire. And as it turns out, I retired at the end of June this year and now it seems his words have come to pass. The loss of Piyush is huge and there aren’t enough words to spell the impact of his passing away on many of us. One could say volumes about him, but I know he would want this kept brief, or silent. Rest in Peace my dear Piyush.”
Sonal Dabral, Independent Creative Consultant, says, "There are too many memories and too many lessons. But the biggest one I learnt from Piyush was the beauty of simplicity. He had this uncanny ability to take a complex, often confusing brief and strip it down to its most human core — then turn it into ideas that changed the fortunes of brands. His work was always sharp and strategic, but like all great work, what shone through wasn’t the strategy — it was the idea. His love for creativity was infectious, and working with him never felt like work. I feel privileged to have worked closely with him for years. He wasn’t just a boss, but a mentor, a friend, and a big brother. Rest in peace, Sirji."
Mitali Srivastava Hough, Founder, The Equal Agency, shares her experience of meeting and working with Pandey. “As the lighthouse of Ogilvy India for four decades, Piyush touched millions through his iconic work for Cadbury, Asian Paints, Fevicol, Hutch and many others. He also shaped thousands of minds who worked under his leadership. I had the privilege to be one of them, though never part of his core gang. I was one of those who stood at a respectful distance, watching the legend in motion and realising that every story about him was true.”
Narrating about the first and last time she gasped in advertising was because of Piyush Pandey, she says, “Ogilvy Mumbai was pitching for a very prestigious Indian brand. We had worked for months researching, thinking, debating, overthinking, rethinking and finally pretending to stop thinking. We had Piyush's blessings on the insight and the concepts too. A lot was at stake and I was the one presenting, so naturally, I was a nervous wreck pretending to be calm.
Just as we were leaving the office, the team ran into Piyush in the lobby. Our Creative Director quickly narrated the TV script to him. Piyush listened quietly, paused, and said, We are Ogilvy. We cannot present this. Then he simply walked off.
Panic hit us. The team huddled again. The bosses decided we had three strong print campaigns and a solid strategy presentation. We could skip the film. No problem. We said that to ourselves several times till we almost believed it. We reached the client office. The room was set. Everyone was ready. I stood near the screen, rehearsing my first line in my head. Then came the message that Piyush was joining too.
The Chairman entered with his entourage. We exchanged introductions. And then Piyush walked in. The entire client team stood up instantly. You could feel the air shift. The men straightened their ties. The women smiled wider. A few people leaned back ever so slightly just to stay in his line of sight. It was part admiration, part disbelief. Stylishly swadeshi and effortlessly charming, he had the whole room fan boying within seconds.
He looked at us and said he was proud of all the work we had done, and before we began, he wanted to take five minutes to share his thoughts. The floor was his, of course. He began narrating a script. None of us had heard it before. Within moments, the room was silent. His earthy voice rolled through the air like warm honey. The client loved it. Piyush smiled, apologised for leaving early, and walked out as calmly as he had entered.
It all happened in ten minutes. The client team was still awestruck. They asked for production costs and told us we had won the business. No presentation required.
I gasped and whispered to my boss, What just happened? He smiled and said, Piyush just happened.
And today, he has left.”
She also adds, “Indian advertising, clients, and brands will never be the same again. His presence could light up a room, silence a crowd, win a pitch and make people forget what they were about to say. He left people dazzled, speechless and slightly short of oxygen. That was his true magic. Legends are usually written after someone is gone. But in Piyush's case, we watched one being written in real time. Rest in peace sir. You carried too much, gave even more, and made the rest of us believe that advertising could still make you gasp.”
Reminiscing his work, Talha Bin Mohsin, Co-Founder, Better Late Than Never Films, says, “You came from Jaipur, played Ranji-Trophy cricket, tasted tea, then walked into the corridors of Ogilvy & Mather India and rewrote what Indian advertising could be. You crafted campaigns that didn’t just sell, they spoke to the heart of India, in its language, culture, humour. You gave us Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai, Kuch Khaas Hai, among many others. What struck me most were not the awards or the global accolades (though you had those in abundance). What struck me was the humility behind the legend. The way you’d listen, really listen, to ideas, even when you had decades under your belt. The way you encouraged young voices, asked questions, challenged assumptions, pushed us to find the “truth” in the story rather than chase the flashy.
Goodbye Sir. Till we meet again.”
