Piyush Pandey is an important role model whose presence in the marketing class would add a lot of value both to the faculty and students.

Piyush Pandey has a special relevance in the class. Students expect input in a class that is engaging and interesting. The role of context matters a lot in relating concepts with examples, and also in coming up with novel nuances.

Piyush Pandey is considered a trailblazer in Indian advertising, and a creative genius whose storytelling has defined brands and contributed to discourses. His ability to connect with the audience was unique and unmatched. These lessons can help students to nudge their creativity, thus helping in learning the subject in an engaging way. There is a strong need to cover Bhartiya (Indian) examples, and expand the horizon of creativity.

It was a colossal loss to communication and the creative industry with the passing away of Piyush Pandey.

His impact was so significant that the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Amul Topicals, leading business leaders, communication experts, creative enthusiasts, students, and faculty paid a touching tribute.

Amul topical offered an artistic tribute, “Inka Sur Sabse Mila”. There is a realisation that his idea will continue to make an impact.

His work is significant, ranging from, Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, Fevicol (Ye Fevicol ka Majboot jod he, tutega nahi), Cadbury (Kuch Khas hai hum sabhi mein.. ), and Asian Paints (Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai), etc. There are several takeaways for marketing students and faculty. We discuss some of them. Let us relate to and connect to his ideas can be useful in marketing management class.

Importance of Music and Storytelling

If you ask any Indian, which advertisement on national integration is top of mind. There is a strong possibility that an advertisement on Mile Sur Mera Tumhara would be top of mind.

This showcases the power of music that can connect with the audience, along with a strong message of unity in diversity, by connecting it with so many images and musical forms. Music can certainly give the required flavours in a marketing management class.

There is a continuous interplay of culture and brand, with the prominence of the role of music and storytelling. The series of advertisements on Fevicol, Asian Paints, Cadbury, etc, showcases the power of storytelling. There are many stories from rich Indian history, Panchtantra, etc. These stories can add a lot of value in a marketing class.

Use of common language, the Hinglish, Hindi and regional language in the class

Piyush Pandey has leveraged the common language based on his keen observations. He changed the narrative in the advertising industry from what it used to be, esoteric in nature, to appealing to the masses and making a lasting impact. In the words of Piyush Pandey, “Agar Aap computer ka andar dekhoge, to data dikhega. Aur computer ke bahar dekhoge, to duniya dikhegi. That is, if you look beyond computers, you will see the world. If you want to relate to the world, it is expected to use a common language in advertisements with which the audience can easily relate.

Students can be encouraged to use a language that connects well with the target audience. There is a takeaway to allow students to use Hindi, Hinglish, and regional languages, which will certainly give a Bhartiya touch to the class of marketing.

Focus on customers rather than clients

The advertisement of Cadbury – Kuch Khaas hai hum sabhi mein was interesting. The advertisement was objected to by the client because it was too early to show a girl dancing in a cricket stadium. Piyush replied, Let people dream about it. Communication and Creatives are about letting people dream about.

The ad featured a girl joyfully in a stadium after a cricket match. Her spontaneous happiness, paired with the tagline 'Asli Swaad Zindagi Ka', struck a chord with the audience. It became a defining moment in Indian advertising. There is a story that the advertisement captured the essence of joy and celebration in an authentic storytelling form. This can be an important lesson for creative enthusiasts and marketing students to keep a focus on customers.

Power of effective communication

Communication matters when it makes an impact. There is no point in chasing quantities. If the audience is not looking at your brand communication, it does not add value. This can be an important lesson for marketing management students. Piyush Pandey displayed uniqueness by connecting with the Indian audience by relating to culture and subtle humour. His communication could tap into universal emotions rather than being restrictive and limited to a few. It is better to focus on emotions and company, and brand value, which have a longer shelf life.

Let our notes (Sur) connect with Piyush Pandey. The lessons offered by Piyush Pandey can be of great help in a marketing management class.

(Written by Dhananjay Bapat, Associate Professor, Marketing Management, Indian Institute of Management, Raipur. Views expressed are their own)