Indian advertising’s greatest master and its most humble student, Piyush Pandey, is this year’s recipient of the 2024 Created for Creatives LIA Legend Award. Pamdey has spent his entire career at Ogilvy and is currently chief advisor for Ogilvy India.
Pandey is the creative who put Indian advertising up on the world map. His ideas have shaped the way an entire generation of Indians have led their lives, built, painted and furnished their homes, enjoyed their chocolates, bought their vehicles, connected with their loved ones, chosen their vacations, voted for their governments, bought their watches, saved their money, done their laundry, sipped their tea, fought illnesses, pandemics and taken pride in their nation.
In addition to being Ogilvy’s crown jewel, Piyush has been an incredible champion of LIA and our Creative LIAisons Educational Initiative.
LIA introduced the Legend Award in 2023. This Award is given to a leader of the industry, past or current who through their talent, vision and generosity have not just demonstrated outstanding creativity at all levels, they have also demonstrated their willingness to share, mentor and develop others with a focus on the advancement of the industry and creative thinking in all sectors.
Pandey was also welcomed into the ADFEST Hall of Fame at the Festival in March.
Pandey has been upholding creative excellence in the industry since 1982. He has spent a 42-year career at Ogilvy and there is no doubt that Ogilvy India’s being recognised as one of the most creative agencies in its network is due to his remarkable creative leadership.
Pandey has been with Ogilvy since 1982. Prior to his current global creative role, he was executive chairman of global creative, Ogilvy Worldwide and executive chairman, Ogilvy India until December 31, 2023. He also served as global chief creative officer of Ogilvy for two and a half years.
He is credited with putting Indian advertising on the world map. He was the first Asian to chair the Cannes jury in 2004. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Advertising Agencies Association of India in 2010. The Lifetime Achievement Award by Clio followed in 2012. He was honoured with the Indian National Civilian Award (Padma Shri) in 2016 by the President of India and again this made him the first in the Advertising industry to receive this recognition. Pandey, along with his brother, was awarded the Lion of St Mark at the International Festival of Creativity at Cannes in 2018, the first Indian to win this award. He has been a mentor at The Berlin School of Creative Leadership for several years. Economic Times, India’s foremost business paper, has named Piyush the most influential person in Indian advertising for 14 consecutive years, another first and undisputed title.
