FOCUS: BRAND CLARITY ISSUES | AUDIENCE: EXPERTS WITH IGNORED BRANDS
BY: SHOBHA PONNAPPA | BRAND BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIST | 45 YEARS | 125+ CLIENTS
I helped an interior designer replace her scattered online image with a cohesive and impressive brand identity.
This talented interior designer had the skills and portfolio to attract high-value clients, yet her online presence was sending mixed signals. Her website showcased luxury penthouse redesigns alongside budget apartment makeovers, with no clear indication of which market she truly served. Her Instagram feed was an unpredictable blend of high-end interiors, DIY tips, and personal holiday snapshots.
The confusion didn’t stop there. Her LinkedIn profile read like a corporate résumé, while her About page took on the tone of a lifestyle blog. Potential clients visiting her channels found beauty but not focus, leaving them unsure whether she specialised in luxury interiors, affordable makeovers, or design advice for hobbyists. With no single narrative tying it all together, she was admired for her work but overlooked as a category leader.
A thorough audit of her digital presence revealed the root issue: too many styles competing for attention. While she thought variety showcased her versatility, it was actually diluting her authority. Clients seeking a designer want clarity … a signature style they can trust, not a gallery of unrelated work.
The deeper insight was that her brand needed to function like a well-designed home: every room different, but tied together by a unifying theme. Without that floor plan of ideas, her content felt like walking through a house where each space belonged to a different building. Consistency would not limit her creativity; it would make it recognisable.
My breakthrough was to give her brand the equivalent of a floor plan … a clear, structural framework for how she presented herself online. I positioned her as “the go-to designer for luxury minimalism in modern city living”, a niche she not only loved but had the strongest portfolio to support.
This meant all her content, imagery, and messaging would flow from this central positioning. Luxury penthouse projects became her primary showcase, styling tips focused on high-end solutions, and her personal posts were reframed to complement her professional image rather than compete with it.
The transformation began with re-curating her portfolio to feature only projects that reflected luxury minimalism. We redesigned her website navigation so prospective clients could intuitively explore her work as though touring a well-planned home. Her Instagram was reorganised into content pillars: high-end project reveals, luxury styling tips, and insights into her design philosophy.
We also unified her voice across platforms. LinkedIn became a hub for thought leadership on luxury urban design, while her About page was rewritten to tell a consistent story of expertise and passion in her chosen niche. Every channel, like every room in a cohesive home, now belonged to the same address.
Here are 10 strategic ideas developed (and several executed) to support the new brand direction:
Luxury Project Spotlights: Detailed posts highlighting signature penthouse redesigns.
Design Philosophy Features: Short videos explaining principles of luxury minimalism.
Before-and-After Series: Visual transformations showcasing the value of her approach.
City Living Tips: Advice on making small urban spaces feel luxurious.
Trend Commentary: Her expert take on emerging luxury design trends.
Material and Finish Guides: Educational posts on premium materials.
Client Testimonial Reels: Video endorsements from satisfied high-end clients.
Virtual Showroom Tours: Walkthroughs of completed spaces for online audiences.
Behind-the-Scenes Stories: Glimpses into her design process and site visits.
Designer’s Journal: Personal reflections tied back to her luxury minimalism niche.
Website enquiries from high-value clients increased by 70%.
Social media engagement rates doubled.
Portfolio views rose by 150%.
Recognised as a niche authority by two major design publications.
CONFIDENTIALITY CAVEAT: This case study represents a confidential engagement. For privacy, specific brand identifiers, campaign names, and project phases have been withheld. It has been shared with permission while preserving client discretion.
If you’re brand owner or manager seeking stronger brand performance, this Case Study Post I wrote could interest you: “How a Boutique Travel Brand Moved from Schedules to Storytelling.“
If you’re an investor seeking momentum for your portfolio brands, this Case Study Post I worked on may resonate: “How a Visionary Founder Unlocked His Brand to Let It Fly.“
"One BIG IDEA can turn brand stagnation into unstoppable movement. Spots are limited each week ... book your breakthrough session now."
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