Piyush Pandey, the legendary adman who transformed Indian advertising, passed away on Friday at the age of 70. His works went far beyond catchy slogans — it captured the soul of a nation in transition.

Born in Jaipur in 1955, Pandey joined Ogilvy & Mather in 1982 as a client-servicing executive and rose to become one of the most influential creative minds in Indian advertising. At a time when most Indian ads mimicked Western sensibilities, Pandey chose to celebrate Indian languages, emotions, and everyday life.

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Here are five timeless campaigns that continue to echo his creativity and cultural insight:

1. Cadbury Dairy Milk – “Asli Swaad Zindagi Ka”

The 1990s Cadbury Dairy Milk ad remains one of the most iconic pieces of Indian advertising. Featuring model Shimona Rashi, the film showed her joyfully running onto a cricket field to celebrate her boyfriend’s winning shot. The spontaneous dance, paired with the line “Asli Swaad Zindagi Ka” (The Real Taste of Life), perfectly captured Pandey’s philosophy — that the best ads are rooted in pure human emotion.

2. Fevicol – “The Sofa That Lasted Generations”

For Fevicol’s 60th anniversary, Pandey crafted a nostalgic 90-second film tracing the life of a simple sofa — from being a wedding gift in the 1950s to witnessing multiple generations of an Indian family. With its memorable tune and heartwarming storytelling, the ad celebrated not just Fevicol’s durability but also the emotional glue that binds Indian homes together.

3. Pulse Polio – “Do Boond Zindagi Ki”

Few campaigns have had a greater real-world impact than the “Do Boond Zindagi Ki” initiative. Conceptualized by Pandey fronted by Amitabh Bachchan, the campaign turned a simple health message into a national movement. The powerful tagline — “Do Boond Zindagi Ki (Two drops of life)” — helped drive India toward becoming a polio-free nation.

4. Asian Paints – “Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai”

Launched in 2002, this Asian Paints campaign beautifully articulated the idea that every home tells a story. With “Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai” (Every Home Has a Story to Tell), Pandey moved beyond product promotion to evoke emotion — showing that walls aren’t just painted, they’re witnesses to life’s memories.

5. Cadbury – “Pappu Pass Ho Gaya”

In this lighthearted Cadbury ad, a middle-aged man named Pappu finally passes his school exams after multiple attempts, sparking celebrations across his town. The tagline “Pappu Pass Ho Gaya” quickly became a part of everyday Indian vocabulary. Pandey’s knack for turning simple human stories into universal moments of joy was on full display here.

Piyush Pandey’s genius lay in his ability to see extraordinary stories in ordinary lives. From chocolates to glue to paint, he transformed products into cultural symbols.

Even decades later, these ads continue to remind India of the power of storytelling and the man who taught the industry how to speak its own language.