Piyush Pandey.
The India advertising industry lost its greatest storyteller today with the passing of Piyush Pandey. He can be termed as the man who gave Indian advertising its heart, humour and fragrance of Hindustani soul. From capturing everyday emotions of common people to country's favourite sports - cricket, Pandey’s campaigns seamlessly became part of our collective memory. Here’s a look at some of his most iconic work:
Fevicol — 'The Ultimate Adhesive... Fevicol ka jod hai, tootega nahi'
'Fevicol ka jod hai, tootega nahi'. From setup to faces, from background sound to the desert setting - everything in this ad was so impactful that it delivered the message without even a single word being said. It was his wit that made the glue brand into a cultural icon.
Here are two such great ads made by him for Pidilite/Fevicol
Cadbury Dairy Milk — 'Kuch Khaas Hai... Kuch Baat Hai'
Here, Pandey captured the imagination of the Indian masses through their favourite sport — cricket. A boy hitting the winning six and the girl dancing out of joy enter the field, celebrating the moment with a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar, redefined joy and innocence. The storytelling in the ad, with iconic lines 'Kuch Khaas Hai... Kuch Baat Hai... Ham Sabhi Mein...' made Dairy Milk instantly relatable with young people. Prior to this, all chocolate ads targeted kids. It was Pandey's genius that amalgamated pure, innocent and unfiltered happiness with a slightly older generation and created a new customer base for Cadbury.
BJP - Ab ki Baar, Modi Sarkar
We all know what happened in the 2014 elections and how impactful the BJP's campaign was during the entire election period. Piyush Pandey, for the first time, did an assignment for a political party/figure — BJP/Narendra Modi. 'Ab ki Baar, Modi Sarkar' reached every corner of the country, and the campaign was way more than successful. Even today, the line is part of the BJP's national messaging in different forms.
Pulse Polio – 'Do Boond Zindagi Ke'
This was not only an ad, it was a national movement. The slogan inspired mass participation and helped eradicate polio. Piyush Pandey's effective messaging, along with Amitabh Bachchan's unparalleled screen presence, turned this ad into a phenomenon. If the saying 'good advertising can drive real change' ever needs proof, it is here.
Asian Paints – 'Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai'
Here is a product which was not directly connected with the end user. Pandey ensured that the end consumer — the house owner and not the builder — receives the message. House in his Asian Paints ads became a character which speaks, hence the iconic line: 'Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai'. And yes, the ad spoke in a language which directly entered the hearts of people, and the product became a household name.
Luna - 'Chal Meri Luna'
'Shaan Se Bolo... Chal Meri Luna' sounds so simple yet so impactful when said from the perspective of Piyush Pandey. He added a sense of pride in owning a 50cc cross of motorbike and cycles. The product became a huge hit at one point on time in the country. It wouldn't have been possible without the vision of Piyush Pandey.