Advertising legend Piyush Pandey has passed away at the of 70 on Friday. As per reports, Piyush was suffering from an infection and his last rites were conducted at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. He was known for creating iconic ad-campaigns for brands like Cadbury, Fevicol and Vodafone, among others.
Apart from his four-decade long work in advertising, Piyush ventured into acting with John Abraham’s Madras Café, as well as appearing in the marketing campaign videos of ICICI Bank. He also co-wrote the screenplay of the film, Bhopal Express in 1990.
Tributes poured in for the adman after news of his death came out. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X and wrote, “Shri Piyush Pandey Ji was admired for his creativity. He made a monumental contribution to the world of advertising and communications. I will fondly cherish our interactions over the years. Saddened by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and admirers. Om Shanti.” Piyush notably wrote the slogan, “Abki baar Modi Sarkaar”, for PM Modi during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal also wrote a short note for Piyush Pandey and wrote, “Truly at a loss for words to express my sadness at the demise of Padma Shri Piyush Pandey. A phenomenon in the world of advertising, his creative genius redefined storytelling, giving us unforgettable and timeless narratives.”
The minister added, “To me, he was a friend whose brilliance shone through his authenticity, warmth, and wit. I will always cherish our engaging interactions. He leaves behind a deep void that will be hard to fill. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, and admirers. Om Shanti!”
Piyush Pandey also wrote the patriotic song, ‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara’ for the National Integration campaign in 1988. He served as Ogilvy's Chief Creative Officer Worldwide (2019) and Executive Chairman India and was the recipient of LIA Legend Award in 2024 and the Padma Shri in 2016.
Some of his notable campaigns include the Polio awareness campaign with Amitabh Bachchan, Ponds’ ‘Googly Woogly Woosh’, Vodafone’s ‘ZooZoo’ and Fevikwik’s ‘Todo Nahin, Jodo’ among others.