Unusual By Strategy

I'M SHOBHA PONNAPPA ... BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIST FOR BRANDS THAT DARE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY

I elevate brands that want to stand apart in a world awash with sameness—through clarity, strategy, and one powerful idea at a time.

Today, brands need chutzpah, ambition, and audacity. If you’re ready to shatter the status quo, stand out boldly, and unlock business breakthroughs, I’m here to help make that happen.

With over 40 years of experience across 125 brands, I don’t just create content – I help you solve complex business problems with big ideas and campaignable strategies.

(When brands get stuck, I help them move – with one bold, strategic idea.)

CLIENTS HANDLED ...

Boeing · Ford · Vivendi · Unilever · Glaxo SmithKline · HSBC · Credit Suisse · Wipro · Brooke Bond · Giorgio Armani · Mahindra & Mahindra · Apollo Hospitals · Sheraton Hotels · Orchid Pharma · Cadila Pharma · India Pistons · Kerala Tourism · Helpage International · Plan International · London Olympics 2012

... among several others

Brands I Elevate

PERSONAL BRANDS

When you are the primary brand of your business, how can unusual brand strategy profile your personal credibility, expertise, and authority?

PRODUCT BRANDS

When your product brands are your money-spinners, how can unusual brand strategy help showcase and move them off the shelves faster?

SERVICE BRANDS

When you’re offering services or solutions to your customers, how can unusual brand strategy get you greater visibility, reach, trust, and sales?

COMPANY BRANDS

When your company is your brand, how can unusual brand strategy impact your stakeholders and competitors, and get you market dominance?

PURPOSE BRANDS

When your brand is driven by a purpose greater than itself, how can unusual brand strategy evangelize its transformative message to millions?

C-SUITE BRANDS

When you’re a CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, or CMO of a business, how can unusual brand strategy help your thought-leadership shape industry opinion?

All About Me

“In a digital landscape saturated with content, the ordinary fades into the background.

With over four decades in brand strategy, I’ve learned that the unusual, when strategically crafted, not only captures attention but also drives meaningful engagement.

This philosophy underpins my commitment to being ‘Unusual by Strategy’ – delivering content that’s not just different, but purposefully impactful.”

- Shobha Ponnappa

I have notched up 40+ years of experience in multinational Advertising & Digital Marketing. I worked with global agencies like Ogilvy, JWT, and Lowe Lintas. I also owned my own avant garde web innovations company, Avigna Technologies.

I have consulted in Digital Marketing for close to 125 brands of all sizes and nuances – including global megabrands as well as disruptive startups.

My expertise lies at the intersection of Content Strategy, Brand Building, and SEO/UX Writing, all infused with a mandate to introduce the unusual into every project, elevating its competitive edge.

Holding an MBA in Marketing from the University of Wales, UK, and as a SmartBlogger Certified Content Marketer, I blend academic rigor with practical experience to deliver strategies that are both innovative and grounded.

BREAKTHROUGH CASE STUDIES ...

From Enmity To Advocacy: How A Car Brand Shifted Gears On Consumer Trust

From Hard Sell To Soft Pitch: How A Skincare Brand Smoothed Its Approach

From Cafés To Clicks: How a Coffee Brand Steamed Up Digital Engagement

From Local Legacy To Digital Draft: How A Beer Brand Brewed A New Strategy

From Disconnect To Destination: How An Airline Brand Redirected Its Journey

From Loan Provider To Lifelong Partner: How A Bank Brand Diversified Assets

From Clinical To Compassionate: How A Hospital Brand Healed Its Perspective

From Fragmented To Flowing: How A Telecom Brand Streamed Its Seamless Story

From Directives To Delights: How A Healthcare Brand Sweetened Its Diabetes Strategy

From Meals To Moments: How An Instant Food Brand Started Satiating Diverse Passions

From Puffs To Partings: How A Nonprofit Brand Stubbed Out Its Old Anti-Smoking Stance

From Showrooms To Screens: How A Home Decor Brand Draped Its Digital Content

From Simplicity To Scalability: How A CRM Brand Tracked SmallBiz Aspirations

From Pace To Purpose: How An Athletic Gear Brand Rerouted Its Running Narrative

My Thinking Edge

How an Ashwagandha Sip Found Fitness—by Owning the Pause

I helped a wellness beverage shift its relevance as a boundary-setting ritual—not just a calming concoction.

How a Pharma Brand Rewrote Its Prescription—From Cure to Care

I helped an old pharma brand regain relevance by shifting from symptom-fixing to whole-body science.

How One DEI Consultant Bridged Cultures by Changing His Voice

How One DEI Consultant Bridged Cultures by Changing His Voice

I helped a DEI consultant change his voice to build cultural trust across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

How A German E-Scooter Brand Was Steered Out of a Timing Trap

I helped an electric mobility brand rescue investor value after almost launching into a fading market window.

How One Workwear Label Unbuttoned Its Old Idea of Power

I helped a women’s workwear brand shed old “power dressing” cliches for a more modern leadership style.

How an Interior Designer Saw That Voice Tone Isn’t Brand Colour

I helped an interior designer discover that tone of voice—not colour palette—is what creates brand differential.

Load More Posts

VOICES OF TRUST ...

"Shobha Ponnappa was a major part of a core SEO content writing project for one of our larger clients. I chose her to provide not just the content writing but also her vast content marketing knowledge acquired from her past in multinational advertising and digital marketing."

"Shobha Ponnappa is an excellent content writer. She understands how to write compelling content for her audience. She goes further with a rare skill. She knows how to combine content strategy with information architecture and organize blog articles into content hubs."

“Shobha is a highly skilled writer who pays great attention to detail with every piece of content she creates. She's followed my advice in my books and courses on blogging and blog commenting, and like me she has a passion for writing that makes her want to excel at it.”

“I have worked with Shobha at various times over the years. She has always been an intelligent and professional strategist, focused on moving projects from conception to goals. Her understanding of both marketing and how words can be used to reach marketing goals has made her an asset in every project I have seen her work on.”

"Her writing skills, coupled with her SEO smarts, make Shobha a highly effective online business writer. She is also an accomplished marketing expert with 40+ years of experience. I have no hesitation in recommending Shobha Ponnappa for your writing project – you won’t be disappointed.”

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KEY TOPIC CATEGORIES COVERED ON THIS SITE:

FOR STEWARDS OF PLATEAUED BRANDS

LOST RELEVANCE

FLATLINED ENGAGEMENT

STRATEGY WITHOUT SPARK

NOISY CATEGORY

MISSED MOMENTS

INTERNAL MISALIGNMENT

FORGETTABLE POSITIONING

CONTENT CONFUSION

LEGACY WITHOUT LEVERAGE

AUDIENCE DISCONNECT

DIGITAL STAGNATION

MISFIT MESSAGING

LEADERSHIP FOG

THE WRONG WHY

VANITY VS. VALUE

VISUAL IRRELEVANCE

OVERCROWDED POSITIONING

LOST IN THE FUNNEL

BRANDING BY IMITATION

FOR INVESTORS IN SLUGGISH BRANDS

STALLED STARTERS

BURN RATE BRANDING

PREMATURE SCALING

MISFIT FOUNDERS

INVESTMENT ANXIETY

THE VALUATION MIRAGE

EXIT READINESS GAPS

VC-FIT MESSAGING

BRAND BLINDSPOTS

PORTFOLIO-LEVEL MISSES

STAGNANT PORTFOLIO BRANDS

MISREAD MARKET SHIFTS

MISSED EXIT WINDOWS

FOUNDER DEPENDENCY

WEAK BRAND NARRATIVE

NO POSITIONING POWER

BRAND DUE DILIGENCE GAPS

POST-INVESTMENT PARALYSIS

POOR BRAND-PRODUCT FIT

SCALABLE BRAND SYSTEMS

FOR EXPERTS WITH IGNORED BRANDS

VOICE DISCOVERY

VISIBILITY GAPS

NARRATIVE STRATEGY

BRAND CLARITY

CONTENT WITH CHARACTER

OFFER EVOLUTION

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

PLATFORM STRATEGY

REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

FROM SOLO TO SCALE

VISION WITHOUT VISIBILITY

FOUNDER IDENTITY CRISIS

OFFER CONFUSION

NO AUDIENCE STRATEGY

FROM EXPERTISE TO ECOSYSTEM

CONTENT CHAOS

DIY BRANDING PLATEAUS

BELIEF-LED BUSINESS

NARRATIVE POWER

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AS PRACTICE

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