From KFC’s Pricing Error to Expedia’s Deck Disaster: Lessons from Sam Benton on Creative Courage

Sam Benton, co-founder of Mad Masters, shares a career-shaping error many ambitious marketers will recognise: believing you know it all and avoiding help until reality proves otherwise. 

He explains why pricing is a feeling, not a number, how KFC’s box-meal flop only succeeded after they doubled the price, and the pitch-room mistake where an Experian logo appeared in an Expedia meeting but still led to a client win. Sam explores herd effects, talk-trigger moments like hotel cookies, and the idea of “reverse benchmarking” to turn competitor weaknesses into creative strengths. 

You’ll learn how to build a culture that encourages risk-taking, use the SCARF model to motivate teams, and reframe pricing without relying on discounts. This episode is a reminder that the smartest marketers fail first, learn fast, and stand out by thinking differently. 

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