Ad Legend Piyush Pandey showed hesitancy to work for PM Modi’s political campaign
Piyush Pandey was hesitant to work on ‘Ab ki baar, Modi Sarkar’ slogan, but 20 minutes changed everything
The Padma Shri awardee was behind prominent marketing campaigns for Fevicol, Cadbury, Asian Paints, and many other brands.
Legend of India’s advertising Piyush Pandey will never be forgotten. They world will miss him. One comment read
“Fevicol ka jod toot gaya” (The world lost its glue). messages of condolence have flooded in for the man who is also acknowledged for giving India’s most famous political slogan — “Ab ki baar, Modi Sarkar.” P Modi was among the first to offer his condolences and penned an emotional note for the advertising legend.
PM.Modi wrote that “Shri Piyush Pandey Ji was admired for his creativity. He made a monumental contribution to the world of advertising and communications. He will fondly cherish our interactions over the years. Saddened by his passing. His thoughts are with his family and admirers. “Om Shanti”
The Padma Shri awardee was behind prominent marketing campaigns for Fevicol, Cadbury, Asian Paints, and many other brands.
He returned from political campaigns to iconic ads in 2019.
In the midst of an interview with CNBC, Piyush Pandey recalled that initially he was hesitant to collaborate with PM Modi on his prime ministerial campaign for the 2014 polls, since he had “never worked for a political party.
Piyush Pandey, had admitted that he had never worked for a political party and openly stated that he didn’t want to. But, then did. The transformation of heart came due to their earlier relationship He met the man,(Modi) and said this is a person who knows what he wants. And a person who willing to listen … Piyush had no way of saying no.
He further shared that he had first met Modi when he was the CM Gujarat to work on a tourism campaign. He got to know the man a lot before he emerged as a Prime Minister and (he is) a very knowledgeable man, never used a piece of paper for his speeches.
Piyush Pandey further recalled that he was allotted 20 minutes with PM Modi to go over seven destinations across Gujarat. “But after 45 to 50 minutes, he was still walking me through the first destination,” he recalled. “He knew the place inside out.”
Their discussion finally stretched to five or six hours. “At times, Modi admitted, ‘You’re right. He (Modi) talks too much, but you have to condense it into a 60-second ad.’ Piyush told him, ‘Keep talking- he was paying him to pick out the key nuggets of information.
Pandey’s brief was to create a campaign that focused on Modi himself rather than the BJP, and one that was easily understandable. “They knew the market, we knew the language The success of the campaign … was because of people speak. There was not one word which was party speak, it was common words that a common man uses on the street.” This is also the case with Modi’s “Modi hai to mumkin hai,” or “Modi makes it possible,” the slogan used ahead of his
re-election in May, Pandey said.
Surprisingly, few know that former US President Donald Trump’s 2016 Hindi campaign slogan,
“Ab ki baar Trump Sarkar,”* was inspired by a famous Indian political tagline. The original — “Ab ki baar Modi Sarkar” — was conceived by Pandey, the creative force behind the BJP’s campaign crafted by Soho Square, a division of Ogilvy.
It was a legacy spanning advertising, film and music
Piyush Pandey, had dedicated nearly four decades to the advertising industry, served as Chief Creative Officer Worldwide and Executive Chairman India at Ogilvy. He joined the agency in 1982, penning his first advertisement for Sunlight Detergent, and went on to create some of India’s most iconic campaigns for brands such as Fevicol, Cadbury, Ponds, Vodafone, and Asian Paints.
Notably, Piyush Pandey moved into advisory role at Ogilvy India.
Beyond advertising, Pandey made his acting debut in 2013 with John Abraham’s Madras Cafe and appeared in ICICI Bank’s marketing campaign, the Magic Pencil Project Videos. He also contributed creatively to music and film, writing the lyrics for the patriotic song Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, which promoted national integration, and co-writing the screenplay for Bhopal Express.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to advertising, Pandey was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2016.
News Edit KV Raman
