Beth Crain, HITL Brand Trust Strategist with little patience for BS and a fixation on problem-solving

It started with bad marketing in my rural Minnesota hometown. Small ma and pa cafes serving cold chocolate milk with menus full of typos. Tree-lined billboards that could have used another round of proofreading. Brands with accidental double entendres. They all had me asking:

"Did they talk to anyone — really anyone, even a friend or family member — before they made that brand choice?"

Okay, maybe I didn’t ask it exactly like that when I was 10 years old, but it was something that caught my attention early on in life. I’m still basically asking myself the same question. And with the entrance of AI, it's more relevant than ever.

I spent almost 20 years in relationship-building roles in regulated industries — law, government, and medical device — learning, observing, and asking why. I've traversed silos, managed budgets, pitched top-tier media, and humanized technical jargon for real-world use. All of it got me wanting to do more than what could be achieved inside the machine.

Outside of traditional work, I've practiced my accumulated skills as a mother of three free-thinking children and as a writer building relatable worlds that pushed the imagination. My political science degree taught me analysis. My philosophy minor taught me to never stop questioning everything with a healthy dose of "why?"

Why Spotted Pony PR?

I started Spotted Pony PR not to do PR as usual, but to focus on the human connections between brands and those who need them. Spotted Pony PR isn't meant to replace current PR tactics — it's a much-needed companion. Earned media and owned content are going to do a lot of heavy lifting in the post-AI era. It's more important than ever that all content and strategy is consistent and credible wherever people find you and no matter how many teams are creating it.

The SPOTTED Brand Trust System gives me exact coordinates — to review content, identify trust gaps, and provide the kind of strategic insight that keeps brands human, consistent, and findable.

What’s with the pony?

My earliest life lessons came from the backs of wild-hearted ponies and extraordinary horses. It’s easy to see these majestic animals as strong, bold, and powerful. What has to be experienced is their ability to feel and respond to human emotion.

Did I just describe your next campaign?

One more important thing to know about ponies. They are known for being highly intelligent with a confident sense of self, aka they will buck you off if you give them attitude or they don’t like what you’re doing.

Does this sound like the trust gap your brand is experiencing?

Learn More About SPOTTED

Beth Crain, HITL Brand Trust Strategist with little patience for BS and a fixation on problem-solving

"Did they talk to anyone — really anyone, even a friend or family member — before they made that brand choice?"

Why Spotted Pony PR?

What’s with the pony?

Connect With Me on LinkedIn

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