Born in Jaipur, Pandey’s first brush with advertising came alongside his brother Prasoon, voicing radio jingles for everyday products. Before joining the industry formally, he explored diverse pursuits including cricket, tea tasting and construction work.
He joined Ogilvy in 1982 as a client servicing executive, where his natural storytelling flair soon found expression.
Within six years, Pandey moved to the creative department, where his talent for storytelling truly came to the fore. One of his first assignments was for the detergent brand Sunlight. But it was his campaigns for Lumo, Fevicol, Cadbury and Asian Paints that brought him a unique identity in the industry for his signature style.
He broke the mould by creating work that spoke directly to the people, blending humour, emotion and cultural nuance. Iconic campaigns such as Asian Paints’ “Har khushi mein rang laaye,” Cadbury’s “Kuch Khaas Hai,” Fevicol’s legendary “Egg” campaign and Hutch’s pug advertisement became ingrained in Indian popular culture.
