How Piyush Pandey Found Shimona Rashi, the Cadbury Girl Who Redefined Joy in Ads Before Social Media

Renowned advertising figure Piyush Pandey, known for creating India's most iconic jingles and campaigns, passed away in Mumbai at 70. His work, including memorable ads like Fevicol's "Jor laga ke haisha" and Asian Paints' "Har ghar kuch kehta hai," significantly influenced Indian advertising. Among his numerous creations, one stands out vividly in people's memories.

A young woman joyfully dances on a cricket field as her favourite player scores the winning shot. Despite security guards trying to stop her, she twirls past them with chocolate in hand. The crowd cheers, music plays, and the screen displays: "Asli swaad zindagi ka." This 1994 Cadbury Dairy Milk ad was more than just a commercial; it was a cultural phenomenon.

Creating A Cultural Phenomenon

The ad's journey began in 1994 when Cadbury faced an image issue. It was seen as a children's treat rather than something adults desired. Ogilvy received a challenging brief: make chocolate appealing to grown-ups. During his Diwali vacation in the US, Piyush Pandey received an urgent call from his boss about this task.

Pandey immediately booked a flight back to Bombay. On the plane, he scribbled what would become the ad's emotional core on his boarding pass: "There's something so real... in everyone." Once home, he contacted jazz musician Louis Banks to compose the tune quickly before catching another flight.

The Magic Of Music And Dance

Gary Lawyer sang the English version of the song, recorded within a day. However, Pandey felt it needed an Indian touch to resonate deeply. He rewrote the lyrics in Hindi and enlisted Shankar Mahadevan to record it. Mahadevan's gentle nuances added the final magic touch to the refrain "Kuch Swaad Hai."

With music ready and concept locked, they needed someone who embodied pure joy for the ad. They sought authenticity over glamour or professional dance skills. Enter Shimona Rashi, whose raw and expressive dance style perfectly matched Pandey's vision.

Shimona Rashi: The Face Of Joy

Directed by Mahesh Mathai at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium, Shimona's sequence was captured in one take without rehearsals or retakes—just her spontaneous dance with chocolate and music. An Ogilvy team member later remarked that her movement looked genuine rather than performed.

The ad aired on television and became an instant hit across India. For many who watched it during cricket matches or news breaks, Shimona represented unbridled joy personified through Cadbury chocolate.

A Lasting Impact On Advertising

Prakash Nair from Ogilvy & Mather explained how this campaign shifted perceptions: "Before this ad came out," he said, "Cadbury chocolate was always targeted as a gift from parent to child." The campaign aimed not only at kids but also at adults who still had their inner child alive within them.

The ad won numerous awards and was named "Campaign of the Century" at Advertising Club Bombay's Abby Awards due to its cultural impact—it made both chocolate consumption agelessly joyful.

A Legacy That Continues

In 2020 Ogilvy revisited this idea with a gender-swapped version featuring a young man running onto the field while a woman hits the winning shot—a concept pitched by Swagata Banerjee alongside Samyu Murali with contributions from Kainaaz Karmakar among others—and received Piyush Pandey’s blessing under one condition: keep unchanged music intact!