The ad world's storyteller: Remembering Piyush Pandey and his timeless work

A Padma Shri awardee and the face of Ogilvy India for over four decades, Pandey was widely regarded as one of India's most influential advertising figures

Piyush Pandey, the creative force behind highly successful campaigns such as Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Ab ki Baar, Modi Sarkar', Cadbury's 'Kuch Khaas Hai' and Asian Paints' 'Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai', passed away on Friday morning at the age of 70. With an uncanny understanding of Indian consumers, Pandey crafted some of the country’s most iconic campaigns, transforming several brands into household names.

 

A Padma Shri awardee and the face of Ogilvy India for over four decades, Piyush Pandey was widely regarded as one of India’s most influential advertising figures. He revolutionised the industry by moving away from English-heavy campaigns to narratives that reflected everyday life and emotions, deeply resonating with Indian audiences. 

 

Let’s take a look at some of his most celebrated campaigns, which not only garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards but also solidified his status at the very top of India’s advertising world.

1. BJP 2014 Election Campaign - Ab Ki Baar, Modi Sarkar

The campaign promoted Narendra Modi as the candidate for strong, decisive leadership in India. The slogan was used extensively on posters, TV spots, rallies, print media, and digital campaigns. Ads featured visuals of Modi addressing crowds, stressing development and strong governance. The slogan quickly became a chantable, memorable phrase that energised scores of supporters.

2. National Integration Song - Mile Sur Mera Tumhara

The campaign promoted national integration and unity in diversity. The ad featured prominent Indian personalities from different regions, religions, and languages singing together against scenic backdrops of India. It combined music, visuals, and subtitles to show how diverse cultures could come together, making it a patriotic anthem for generations.

3. Cadbury Dairy Milk - Kuch Khaas Hai

The ads focused on celebrating joy, sharing, and small celebrations with Cadbury chocolate. They showed families, couples, and friends exchanging chocolate during happy moments. The campaign featured bright visuals, happy music, and everyday emotional scenes, making Dairy Milk synonymous with special moments and celebrations. To date, people pick a Cadbury Celebrations box for special occasions.

4. Fevicol - Fevicol Ka Jod

The campaign highlighted the strong bonding power of Fevicol adhesives. Ads showed humorous exaggerations, like people stuck to chairs, vehicles failing to separate, or giant objects glued together. The comedy emphasised how Fevicol creates 'unbreakable bonds', making the product memorable through humour.

5. Asian Paints - Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai

Communicating that paint reflects personality and memories in every home, the ads depicted families celebrating festivals, renovating homes, and creating memories. The narrative focused on emotions, warmth, and personalisation, showing how colours bring stories and feelings to life within a home.

6. Polio Awareness Campaign - Do Boond Zindagi Ke

The ads were aimed at encouraging parents to vaccinate children against polio. They featured Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, and Aishwarya Rai, demonstrating the easy two-drop polio vaccination. Emotional storytelling and celebrity appeal were used to build trust and motivate action among parents.

7. Fevikwik - Todo Nahin, Jodo

Promoting Fevikwik as a quick-fix adhesive for bonding rather than breaking, Pandey's 40-second spot premiered during the India–Pakistan ICC World Cup 2015 match. It showed people mending broken items humorously with Fevikwik instead of discarding them. The ad combined humour, cricket context, and relatability, striking a chord nationwide.

8. Ponds - Googly Woogly Woosh

The campaign promoted soft and smooth skin, especially cheeks, using Ponds products. The ads featured young couples, kids, and teens across different scenarios. Boys would gently pull the girls’ cheeks while the catchy jingle “Googly Woogly Woosh” played in the background. The playful visuals and music highlighted the fun and affectionate moments of daily life, reinforcing the message that Ponds keeps skin soft and touchable.

9. Vodafone - ZooZoos

The campaign promoted Vodafone’s mobile and data services in a fun, quirky way during the IPL cricket season. The ads featured small, white, egg-shaped characters with exaggerated heads and bodies performing everyday tasks in funny, exaggerated ways. For example, ZooZoos were shown using phones, sending messages, shopping, or interacting with each other humorously. The ads were mostly non-verbal, relying on visual comedy and quirky actions to make the service features memorable and entertaining.