In a world obsessed with global gloss and imported accents, Piyush Pandey stood out as the man who made India talk in its own tongue. His passing at the age of 70 leaves behind more than nostalgia; it closes a chapter on an era when advertising truly spoke to the heart of India. With his trademark moustache, booming laughter and instinct for storytelling, Pandey turned everyday Indian life, its quirks, idioms and warmth, into unforgettable brand stories. He didn’t just make ads; he captured how India thought, felt and laughed.
When Pandey joined Ogilvy, Indian advertising was still mimicking Western templates - polished, distant, and English-speaking. He turned that world upside down. For him, creativity meant being authentic, not aspirational. He brought Hindi and colloquial language into the mainstream, making campaigns like Kuch Khaas Hai for Cadbury, Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai for Asian Paints, and Fevicol’s enduring glue stories part of popular culture. His ads were not about products; they were about people, their emotions, their humour, their shared moments. Under his leadership, Ogilvy didn’t just win awards; it became a reflection of India’s own creative confidence.
To an entire generation of young creatives, he was the mentor who taught them that the most powerful stories come not from faraway places but from one’s own backyard. And that may well be his greatest legacy. He made the world see that India, in all its chaos and colour, was its own best story.
Here's what top leaders from Ogilvy have to say about him:
Reed Collins, CCO, Ogilvy APAC
“To my dear friend Piyush, I will forever be grateful for your sage advice and forever inspired to keep building on the extraordinary innings you so brilliantly played. Always on the front foot and with aplomb. My Captain, may you rest in eternal peace.”
Hephzibah Pathak, CEO, Ogilvy India
"It's hard to capture the immense impact Piyush had on us all. He was an incredible force who led the creative revolution, in Ogilvy and the industry. He didn't just change the game for our industry; he changed our lives. He was a fierce champion of "Indian-ness" in advertising. A giant of a leader, his fearless heart and unwavering goodness inspired us to see the world, and ourselves, differently. Piyush was all heart. A heart filled with courage, kindness, humility and humanness. His beautiful philosophy, "Kuch khaas hai hum sabhi mein" was his very essence - always finding and celebrating the specialness in everyone. Nothing is complete without a cricketing lesson from Piyush. He gave us all a Ganesha, padded up in cricketing gear, playing off the front foot. That's how he wanted you to approach work and life. Off the Front Foot. Godspeed Piyush. Rest in eternal peace!"
Harshad Rajadhyaksha, Kainaz Karmakar and Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy India
“The most honest thing we can say is that we’re numb. So many memories are flooding our hearts. His living room was our second office. From the day we joined Ogilvy, to this day, he was our Creative Director and we were his team. This is an honour we can’t forget or replace. Even if he can’t hear us present ideas anymore, every time we create something we will be asking ourselves, ‘Will Piyush like this?’ What we can promise as our tribute to him, is to carry on his belief in creativity, culture and bravery. “
Vikas Mehta, Regional CEO, Ogilvy (Sub-Saharan Africa)
"Like many others in my generation, Piyush has had a lasting impact on my life. His work was one of the reasons that got me fond of the craft that led me to choose advertising as a career. For Indian advertising, Piyush's work broke walls and turned them into doors that several of us walked through. His role in putting Indian creativity on the world map is unparalleled. Over the years, I got a chance to get to know him, as a competitor and a colleague. Warm, gentle, large-hearted, humble and always inspirational. One of my fondest Piyush memories is from two years ago. It was Jun 23rd, 2023. David Ogilvy's birthday. We were gathered at the Ogilvy terrace @Cannes. Dev and Liz invited Piyush to cut David's cake. David Ogilvy spoke about being a company of giants. It was a fitting tribute from one Ogilvy giant to another. Today, we've lost a true giant. He leaves a legacy that'd keep shining the path for those who follow, for years to come."
Madhukar Sabnavis, Consultant, Ogilvy (Former Vice Chairman & Director, Client Relations, Ogilvy India)
"Piyush was a wonderful captain I played under. We had a long innings together...actually 19 years. He treated me as a trusted senior team mate. Never ordered me. I intuitively understood his polite request as an order. That was our chemistry. Today I say Thank you captain and will miss you dearly Piyush."
David Ford, Global Chief Communications Officer, Ogilvy
"Today, like so many at Ogilvy, I find myself at a loss for words because one of the most generous, caring, and intuitive people I’ve ever worked with—Piyush Pandey—is no longer with us. He was a giant, a beacon, a true partner to many. He taught me the word “partner” wasn’t just a title—it was a promise, a belief that we do this together. He taught so many of us that an idea isn’t owned by one person—it belongs to the team. That leadership doesn’t mean standing above—it means standing beside. And that giving someone the permission to belong is, in many ways, the greatest gift of all. Piyush brought warmth, insight, and deep humanity to everything he touched. For so many Piyush will be remembered by how he made them feel. I will miss his infectious laugh, his fearless creativity, his trademark mustache. I will miss hearing him say “Thanks, partner,” and knowing he meant it in every sense of the word. Thank you, Piyush, for believing in me. For making me feel like I was part of the fabric of Ogilvy—and, by extension, part of something greater than myself. Rest in peace, dear partner. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten."
Atin Roy, Senior Vice President, Ogilvy
“There is a flood of messages today on social media about the passing of Piyush. The only other time I saw such an outpouring of emotions was when Ratan Tata passed away. Indeed, Piyush was a titan of Indian advertising, a leader who mentored a thousand talents, a legend whose contribution can never be tallied in words. But more than that he was the Guru Dronacharya to millions outside advertising - in colleges, in entrepreneurship, in cricket, in music, in filmmaking, in every possible industry, in life - teaching millions, if not billions, the value of being proud of our desiness, finding our unique place in the world of ideas, and above all, being human and being unafraid to embrace our emotions. Thank you, Piyush - you were the reason thousands like me joined the business of ideas and will continue to do so. RIP.”
Juneston Mathana, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy India
“It is a very sad day, yes. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting him while he was around at Ogilvy, I do remember bumping into him at Jaipur Airport once, in the smoking lounge. My friend and I were discussing food and places to eat. He jumped in with recommendations that even Google wouldn’t throw up. It was legit. It was great. The CCO of Ogilvy was also a local guide.”
Fritz Gonsalves - Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy
“The fact that he created a space for people like me to come, play, thrive, laugh, tell stories, and make life-long friends — I’ll always be grateful to him.”
