Scripting A New High In Indian Advertising

PIYUSH PANDEY and PRASOON PANDEY have been the icons of the Indian advertising industry for nearly four decades now. From creating award winning campaigns that have been recognised on global platforms, to being selected for the highest honour of Lion of St. Mark — the Cannes Lions’ Lifetime Achievement Award — recently, the Pandey brothers have played a key role in ushering in a golden era for the industry.

- Ruhail Amin

THE unique thing about creativity is that it can transcend geographical barriers with perfect ease. Well known Indian ad filmmakers Piyush Pandey, who is presently the executive chairman and creative director of Ogilvy South Asia, and Prasoon Pandey, also a film director now, have done it several times with their superlative work that has been recognised internationally.

Piyush Pandey is best known as the man behind many iconic ad campaigns. In 2000, the Ad Club of Mumbai voted his commercial for Fevikwik the commercial of the century and his work for brand Cadbury as the campaign of the century. His other notable ad campaigns include: Asian Paints, Vodafone, and Fevicol among others. Piyush, who gave up a promising cricketing career to join the glamourous world of advertising in 1979, has completed almost four decades in the industry.

Under Piyush’s leadership, O&M India has won 25 Lions at Cannes. He is the only Indian to win a double Gold at Cannes for his anti-smoking campaign for Cancer Patients Aid Association, and a triple grand prize at the London International Awards. Piyush has also received a lifetime achievement award from the Advertising Agencies Association of India in 2010. In 2016, the government of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2016.