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When compared to the legend, Tanmay Bhat once called Piyush Pandey his guru
As the advertising world bids farewell to the legend, the comedian-turned-adman had previously spoken about how Pandey inspired his own journey in Indian advertising.
"I studied advertising in college and folks like Piyush Pandey and Prasoon Joshi were stalwarts who inspired me to be a part of advertising in the first place,” Bhat said last year.
Piyush Pandey, the iconic face of Indian advertising whose campaigns for brands like Cadbury, Fevicol, and Asian Paints defined a generation, passed away on October 24, 2025. Known for his creative brilliance, strategic insight, and unparalleled understanding of Indian audiences, Pandey leaves behind a legacy that shaped the entire industry.
In 2024, as conversations swirled about emerging talent in advertising, comedian-turned-creative Tanmay Bhat was often mentioned as a rising star. Known for viral campaigns with CRED, Disney+ Hotstar, Lenskart, Subway, and BoldCare, Bhat and his agency Moonshot quickly became a favorite among brands seeking bold, unconventional storytelling.
Industry speculation at the time suggested that Bhat could be “the next Piyush Pandey.”
However, Bhat himself was careful to differentiate between his own journey and that of the legendary Ogilvy boss.
He earlier told media, “A comparison between me- an absolute newcomer and a legend like Piyush is absolutely unfair. I studied advertising in college and folks like Piyush Pandey and Prasoon Joshi were stalwarts who inspired me to be a part of advertising in the first place.”
Bhat had emphasized that while he was just starting his own path in advertising, Pandey’s body of work was something he had studied closely and admired. He acknowledged the scale, consistency, and creativity that had defined Pandey’s decades-long career- a benchmark that few could ever match.
Pandey’s passing has left a void in the industry, but his influence remains evident in the new generation of creatives, including Bhat, who continue to push boundaries in the digital age.
While Bhat’s campaigns are celebrated for virality and bold storytelling, he has always cited the legends of Indian advertising, especially Pandey, as the inspiration behind his creative journey.
As the advertising world mourns one of its greatest stalwarts, reflections like Bhat’s serve as a reminder of Pandey’s enduring impact- not just through campaigns that entertained millions, but through the generations of marketers and creators he inspired.
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