Ogilvy came together on Sunday, November 2, 2025, to honour Piyush Pandey, whose work has left an indelible mark on Indian advertising. Friends, colleagues, and industry stalwarts gathered to celebrate his creativity, wit, and vision that transformed the way brands connect with people.
Amit Syngle, Managing Director and CEO of Asian Paints, among others, paid a moving tribute, reflecting on how Pandey’s genius shaped not just campaigns, but the very spirit of storytelling in advertising.
“After hearing that everyone used to be woken up at 6.30 AM by Piyush, I am disheartened because I used to get a call only at 8 o’clock. I still remember, those calls were infectious because it was about a new idea, a new vision. Something which he would have just observed.He is someone who is always thinking in terms of how to take a brand forward.
What he brought to life was the emotion into the ideas which he would put in. You all saw the ‘Har Ghar’ in terms of what he lovingly crafted. I still remember the day he called and he said, “Come, I want to tell you something”. The moment Piyush says this, we know that he has hit on something which is a treasure, which is a gold mine. I still remember when he recited the pitch. We really got goosebumps. In those moistened eyes of his, we saw the brand enter into every Indian home.
Not only that, he has the ability to turn a lump in throat into full-bodied laughter. And it was this ability to think on his feet, which enamoured us. That was the genius in terms of what he could bring about. I won’t forget Covid. During the first month of pandemic, Piyush rings me up. Please note it was 8 PM. He says, "I have recorded something in my closet."
At first I was like "why in the closet?"
"There was lots of noise outside so I recorded in closet." he said.
I remember, from that moment to the next 24 hours, we shot the film only on mobile phones and it was on air, on the third day.
That was his creative genius - being behind one of the very first ads during Covid that encouraged people to stay home and truly enjoy their spaces in an entirely new way. It showed his remarkable ability to connect and create something meaningful at just the right moment. Every moment he embraced, every gesture he remembered, carried a deep sense of connectedness. And when he used the word 'partner' and embraced you with it, it was something that always, always touched me. He's been a soulmate, a sutradhar in my life, a mentor, someone who is still with us and still with me as we look forward to every laughter and emotion which he used to bring. I would only say that today, ‘Har Shaks Ye Keheta Hain, Piyush Hamare Dil Mein Reheta Hai’.”
