I had the opportunity to work alongside Piyush Pandey during the unforgettable creative partnership of O&M with Parle. I recall the man who redefined simplicity and made emotion the heart of everyday brands. The Parle Chapter: Piyush believed Parle was ‘India on a plate’.
His creative direction insisted that every idea must pass the ‘dil test’ before the client test. Whether it was positioning KrackJack with the iconic sweet and salty characters portrayed by Boman Irani and Vijay Patkar or the youthful whimsy of Hide & Seek and the ‘Kal Ka Genius’ campaign of Parle G, he made the ordinary feel intimate and Indian. His larger legacy from Fevicol’s Mazboot Jod to Cadbury’s Kuch Khaas Hai have left a lasting impact not just on consumers but on the entire advertising industry helping O&M dominate as the go to agency for years together.
As those of us who worked with him will tell you, Piyush didn’t just give India its advertising voice, he gave it heart. And with every Parle packet that opens across the country, a bit of that heart still smiles back. The advertising legend may be gone, but the craft, conviction, and courage he brought to Indian advertising will never fade.
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