Padma Shri awardee and Indian ad icon Piyush Pandey dies at 70

Published on Authored by C to I News Desk

The Indian advertising world lost one of its most celebrated creative minds on Friday, October 24, with the passing of Piyush Pandey, the Padma Shri awardee who reshaped the country’s ad industry with his imagination and instinct for storytelling. He was 70.

Piyush Pandey was one of the most sough after creative personas in India
Indian ad guru Piyush Pandey. Photo courtesy: x.com/nsitharaman

Ogilvy, where Pandey served as Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer Worldwide, confirmed his death in a statement, saying he had been “battling an infection that took a serious turn”. The agency described his passing as an immeasurable loss to the organisation and to the wider creative community.

“To our entire Ogilvy family, It is with an unfathomable sense of loss that I write to you about the passing away of our beloved Piyush Pandey. Piyush was battling an infection that took a serious turn. He passed away peacefully this morning. I cannot even imagine how each one of us is going to process this terrible loss in our own way,” the statement read, as per reports.

Widely regarded as the architect of modern Indian advertising, Pandey transformed how brands spoke to people — in language, emotion and spirit. His work blurred the line between commerce and culture, often embedding itself into everyday Indian life.

Over a career spanning four decades, Pandey crafted many of India’s most iconic campaigns. Among them were Cadbury Dairy Milk’s “Kuch Khaas Hai Zindagi Mein”, Asian Paints’ “Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai”, and the Vodafone “ZooZoo” series that became an instant cultural hit.

He was also the creative mind behind the slogan “Ab ki baar, Modi sarkar”, one of India’s most recognised political campaigns in recent times. His work extended beyond products and politics — he also shaped public service messaging. The “Do Boond Zindagi Ke” campaign for polio awareness, featuring screen icon Amitabh Bachchan, remains one of India’s most successful social advertising efforts.

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