Pepper Awards 2025

Celebrating Excellence: The 19th Edition of the Pepper Awards Honors the Legacy of Piyush Pandey

The advertising and creative community of South India came together in a grand celebration of talent and innovation at the 19th annual Pepper Awards, held yesterday at Le Meridien Kochi. The event, a cornerstone of regional creative excellence, witnessed an enthusiastic gathering of over 300 participants from across the four states of South India.

This year’s ceremony was imbued with profound emotion and respect, as it was dedicated to the memory of the legendary late Piyush Pandey. The collective heart of the industry paid homage to his monumental contributions, with a special tribute presented by the 40 distinguished jurors who have shaped the Pepper Awards over its remarkable 19-year journey

The tribute was eloquently underscored by Mr Sonal Dabral, Founder of Tribha and former Vice Chairman of Ogilvy India, who served as the Chief Guest. He delivered a moving and insightful memorial speech, capturing the essence of Piyush Pandey’s genius and his enduring impact on the world of creativity.

Adding to the depth of the discourse were insightful addresses from other luminary speakers:

Rajiv Rao, Director at Nirvana and former National Creative Director of Ogilvy India.
Mr. Prathap Suthan, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Bang In The Middle.

The competitive spirit of the awards shone brightly, with 140 awards being distributed across 50 categories, recognizing the very best work from the region. The top honors of the night were secured by:

Grand Prix & Agency of the Year (South India): Be Positive, Chennai

Best of Kerala: Stark Communications

Best of Karnataka: Freeflow Ideas, Bangalore

Best of Telangana: Big Bears Advertising

Advertiser of the Year: Mathrubhumi Club FM

Pepper Rasam – bit of fun, laughter and some memories

Prior to the prestigious Pepper Awards ceremony, attendees were treated to an insightful and heartfelt panel discussion curated by Ms. Anupama Sajeet of Manifest Media titled Pepper Rasam.

The session, featuring an exceptional lineup of advertising luminaries, evolved into a moving tribute to the legacy of Piyush Pandey. The panelists delved into his genius for storytelling and his unique ability to infuse a quintessentially Indian soul into iconic advertisements.

Mr. Sonal Dabral (Founder, Tribha) recalled fascinating and often humorous incidents from his time working with Piyush, sharing thought-provoking anecdotes that revealed his creative process.

Mr. Rajiv Rao (Director, Nirvana) took the audience behind the scenes of creating the legendary Vodafone Zoozoo films, highlighting Piyush's visionary guidance.

Mr. Prathap Suthan (Co-founder, Bang In The Middle) poignantly remarked that Piyush was the "National Creative Director of India," not just of Ogilvy, cementing his status as a national treasure.

A consistent theme emerged: - Piyush Pandey was remembered not just as a legendary creative mind, but as an extraordinarily caring boss, full of warmth and genuine love for his colleagues.

The session then looked forward, concluding with a dynamic discussion on the good and bad sides of Artificial Intelligence in creativity. Mr. Prathap Suthan offered a balanced perspective, asserting that if handled wisely, AI can be a powerful companion to the creative mind.

The panel served as a perfect prelude to the awards, celebrating timeless human-centric creativity while thoughtfully embracing the future.