How Shampoobars Won Big at the Friends of Search Awards

About the case: Six years ago, Mark Sanders and Lyan Garritsen introduced the first 100% plastic-free Shampoo Bar in the Netherlands. They were struck by the fact that most personal care products are made up of 80% water, resulting in large plastic bottles that require significant resources for production and transportation. In contrast, a Shampoo Bar contains only the 20% of active ingredients, lasting as long as three plastic shampoo bottles. This innovation eliminates the need for bulky, polluting plastic bottles and significantly reduces space requirements, cutting CO₂ emissions in the process.

Today, more than 300,000 households use our plastic-free Shampoo Bars, and together, we have saved millions of plastic bottles from being produced and discarded. Every decision we make is guided by its environmental impact, with sustainability as our top priority—something we take immense pride in. This commitment to sustainability is deeply embedded in our marketing strategy as well.

How did you prepare yourself and your case for your participation in the Friends of Search Awards?

Before considering any award show, we had in-depth discussions with our marketing agency about the direction of our campaigns. Since our products are often repeat purchases, focusing on short-term ROAS no longer made sense. This realization opened our eyes, prompting us to implement the approach presented at the Friends of Search event. In preparing for Friends of Search, we aimed to go beyond simply citing numbers; we wanted to make our message practical and easy to grasp. Instead of merely calculating revenue growth, we translated the impact into the number of bottles we saved—aligning closely with the core mission of our business: creating a more environmentally friendly world.

What was your experience presenting your case at Friends of Search and ultimately winning the Award?

Together with Stijn, we presented our case at Friends of Search. Presenting in front of the jury felt like an incredible honor, as they are truly regarded as PPC experts. Winning the award was a special and rewarding experience, validating all the hard work we had invested. Later, presenting on stage in front of a large audience at the event was exciting, and once we got going, everything went smoothly.

What did winning the award ultimately bring to you? On a personal level, but also within your organization.

Shifting from a revenue and ROAS-driven approach to focusing on customer lifetime value is challenging and requires a mindset shift, as it emphasizes future revenue rather than immediate gains. However, seeing the outstanding results has led to strong organizational support for this strategy, sparking numerous new innovations.

Winning the Friends of Search Award gave us a platform to share our story and case with a professional audience. It boosted our visibility in the industry, opened up exciting new opportunities, and strengthened our network. Plus, we can now proudly showcase the award on our website!

Do you have tips and tricks for ambitious SEO/PPC specialists and companies participating in the Awards this year?

Our key advice is to uncover the true core of your business. Rather than focusing solely on straightforward KPIs like revenue or leads, challenge your organization to identify the deeper question you want to answer. Search advertising platforms like Google and Microsoft are highly effective at hitting predefined targets (such as target ROAS). However, this efficiency can sometimes cause us to overlook what truly matters. In our case, it meant taking into account the value of returning customers.

Enter this year’s Awards

If you are passionate about innovation and driving meaningful change in search, we encourage you to participate in this year’s Friends of Search Awards. It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase your work, share your story with industry leaders, and gain recognition for the impact you’re making. Take the chance to inspire others and celebrate your achievements! Deadline is January 31^st. Click this link for more information.

Bob Younge

Contentspecialist