I don't think anybody can get away with lazy political advertising: Piyush Pandey

Interview with O&M's executive chairman and creative director, India & South Asia

There is never a moment when Piyush Pandey, O&M's executive chairman and creative director, India and South Asia, does not find himself in the news. In an interview with Viveat Susan Pinto, Pandey, 60, comes clean on a number of issues. Edited excerpts:

You have just released a book along with members of the Soho Square team on your experience working on the 2014 general election campaign. Why the book now?

We wanted to document something that has become part of history. While we knew of the blood, sweat and tears that went into this campaign, it was important for those around us to know what a huge exercise this was. We barely slept during those three months between February and May last year when we were working on this campaign.

The campaign covered every possible media from print to TV to digital, outdoor and radio. We would get briefs every day and promptly come up with ads the next day. Deadlines were that tight. There were multiple ads targeting people in different cities and at no point could we mix them up.

The stakes were just too high, and if you ask me, this was a logistical nightmare. We thought putting this down for posterity would be a good idea for us, our clients and the agency.

Has the bar in political advertising been raised by your campaign?

It certainly has. After what we did last year, I don't think anybody now can get away doing lazy political advertising. That phase is over. Political advertising will have to be taken as seriously as the work you do for brands and companies.

Also, the campaign has turned the tide for us in more ways than one. We are now being contacted by political parties located outside India, as far as Turkey, to assist them with their election work. This is an immensely satisfying feeling that people outside India have seen the work that we have done and appreciate it.

But will you work with parties apart from the Bharatiya Janata Party in India?

I would first work with the BJP than do work for any other party. I am clear about this. There has been speculation about me doing the Swachh Bharat campaign for the BJP. But I have not been approached for it. If approached, I would be happy to contribute to a national cause. So yes, I am happy to work, but my priority would be the BJP.

O&M has seen some senior-level exits in the last few months. Are you doing anything to stem the attrition?

I cannot stop people from leaving. And neither am I happy about it. If an individual leaves to start his or her own venture I cannot prevent him or her from doing so. However, if he or she quits to join a rival agency, then I would be very worried about it. I do not think the ones leaving are doing that. All of them desire to start something on their own. Who am I to come in their way?

There has been speculation about your retirement from O&M. Are you considering it?

I laugh at all those people who say that I intend to move on. Ogilvy is in my blood. Till such time that I am contributing to the agency and I am mentally and bodily fit to do so, I will continue to be a part of the agency. I am not going anywhere.