Thanking a Guru for My Advertising Career (And Learning How to Speak Local)

(Imaging: Triparna Mitra)

It’s strange how some people you’ve never met can shape your entire professional journey. For me, that person was Piyush Pandey. The news of his passing hit differently like losing a mentor you always knew was there, even if only in spirit. So, I wanted to take a moment, in my own casual way, to just say thank you. Thank you, Guru.

When I first dipped my toes into the crazy, brilliant world of advertising, like many aspiring creatives, I was looking for a voice. My own voice, yes, but also a voice for the brands I’d eventually work with. And honestly, back then, the landscape often felt… a bit disconnected from home. We’d see all these slick, international campaigns, and while they were cool, I always felt there was a missing piece. A piece that spoke to us, in our language, with our quirks.

And then, there was Piyush Pandey.

Credits — www.republicworld.com

You couldn’t be in advertising in this part of the world and not know his work. Fevicol, Cadbury, Bajaj — these weren’t just ads; they were cultural touchstones. They were conversations happening in living rooms, jokes shared over tea, jingles sung by kids on the street. They transcended mere selling and became part of the fabric of our lives.

The biggest lesson he taught me, without ever sitting me down in a classroom, was the immense power of localization. Not just translating English words into a local language, but truly localizing the thought. He showed us how to dig deep into the culture, the humor, the aspirations, the everydayness of people, and weave it into a story that felt incredibly genuine.

He had this uncanny ability to find the universal human truths that reside within specific cultural contexts. The enduring strength of a bond, the simple joy of a sweet treat, the pride in one’s home — these are universal. But how he articulated them, through a Fevicol bus overflowing with people, a grandmother dancing to a Cadbury jingle, or the iconic “Hamara Bajaj” that was pure genius. It was unmistakably Indian, and therefore, undeniably impactful.

I remember poring over case studies of his campaigns, not just admiring the brilliance, but trying to reverse-engineer it. How did he capture that essence? How did he make it so utterly relatable? The answer, I slowly realized, wasn’t in complicated theories or frameworks, but in a profound respect for the common person, a keen ear for everyday conversations, and an unwavering belief in the power of simple, honest storytelling.

Piyush Pandey didn’t just win awards; he won hearts. He didn’t just sell products; he built relationships between brands and people. And for someone like me, who came into this field wanting to create work that truly connected, he was the ultimate beacon. He proved, emphatically, that the most powerful advertising doesn’t try to be global by being bland; it becomes globally respected by being profoundly local.

Image — India Today

So, as I continue on my own journey, trying to craft narratives that resonate and ideas that stick, a little bit of his wisdom always echoes. Listen to the streets. Understand the nuances. Find the local heartbeat.

Thank you, Piyush Pandey, for being the guru who showed us the way to truly speak to people. Your legacy isn’t just in the iconic ads you created, but in the countless creatives you inspired to find their own authentic, local voices. You’ll be deeply missed, but your lessons will forever be the bedrock of good advertising.