--- title: "YouTube Influencer Marketing Case Study: The Duschbrocken Success Story" description: "Duschbrocken invested €150,000 in YouTube influencer marketing, acquired 3,877 new customers and reduced CAC from €60 to €25. The case study explains the testing discipline, creator selection and long-tail effect behind the result." canonical: https://www.adspecialist.de/en/blog/youtube-influencer-marketing-duschbrocken-case-study/ last-updated: 2026-06-10T22:02:01 --- # YouTube Influencer Marketing Case Study: The Duschbrocken Success Story > Duschbrocken invested €150,000 in YouTube influencer marketing, acquired 3,877 new customers and reduced CAC from €60 to €25. The case study explains the testing discipline, creator selection and long-tail effect behind the result. Kanonische URL: https://www.adspecialist.de/en/blog/youtube-influencer-marketing-duschbrocken-case-study/ ## YouTube Influencer Marketing Case Study: The Duschbrocken Success Story After three years of stagnation, declining new-customer acquisition through Meta and Google, and rapidly rising acquisition costs, [Duschbrocken](/en/case-studies/duschbrocken/) made a bold move: allocating a budget of 150,000 euros to [YouTube influencer marketing](/en/channel-youtube/). What looked like a risky bet became the sustainable brand's strongest growth strategy in years. In this detailed [influencer marketing](/en/influencer-marketing/) case study, I explain how Ad Specialist helped return Duschbrocken to growth within 14 months, with transparent figures, honest lessons and a CAC that fell from 60 euros to an average of 25 euros (1). Watch the [complete Duschbrocken case study video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eghocmhsKKw) for the full story. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eghocmhsKKw) ## The starting point: When performance marketing reaches its limits Duschbrocken had built a strong market position over the years. Its appearance on the German television programme *Die Höhle der Löwen* in 2019 introduced the brand to a mainstream audience (1). The product is a solid, plastic-free shower gel designed to deliver plenty of foam and intense fragrances. Its ingredients are natural, the bars are biodegradable, and one Duschbrocken lasts about as long as two conventional plastic bottles of shower gel (1). But despite this solid basis, growth stagnated. The reality was sobering: new customer growth via the previous push channels Meta and Google declined steadily for three years in a row (1). Communication with the audience via classic ads no longer worked as it used to. What does this mean specifically for an e-commerce company? The previous marketing channels were exhausted. Performance marketing no longer had the desired effect and [customer acquisition costs](/en/loesungen/cac-senken/) continued to rise. The trust of customers had to be gained in new ways. At that point, Christoph, one of the two founders, made a bold decision: he would test [YouTube influencer marketing](/en/channel-youtube/) as a completely [new channel](/en/loesungen/neuer-wachstumskanal/) with me and the [Ad Specialist](/en/) team. Committing 150,000 euros to influencer campaigns was a significant step for the traditionally cautious Swabian entrepreneur; the company had never invested that much in an untested channel (1). ### The challenges of the first influencer campaigns The launch in August brought several hurdles for the [Influencer Marketing](/en/influencer-marketing/) campaign: The seasonally fluctuating product launched when summer was almost over. The company had no experience in [influencer marketing](/en/) – no best practices, no contacts with creators or influencers. With a CAC target of 16 euros, expectations were high and there was no historical data for guidance (1). Every campaign was an experiment, every collaboration with influencers a learning experience. I made it clear to both founders from the start that this would not be easy. A commission model can encourage an agency to spend the full 150,000 euros quickly, but that is not how we work at Ad Specialist (1). ## What is YouTube Influencer Marketing? The strategy behind success [YouTube influencer marketing](/en/channel-youtube/) is a strategic collaboration between a brand and YouTube creators who introduce its products to a relevant audience. Unlike conventional advertising, the format draws on the creator's relationship with their community and the trust they have earned. While many brands default to Instagram, I chose YouTube for specific strategic reasons that this case study demonstrates. ### The long-tail effect: When content works for the brand over months The key difference between YouTube and Instagram lies in the lifespan of the content. On Instagram, a story post disappears after 24 hours. YouTube, on the other hand, works fundamentally differently - and this is exactly where the effect of [YouTube Influencer Marketing](/en/channel-youtube/) lies. YouTube videos remain discoverable. A strong video can continue collecting views and generating sales for weeks or months. Videos also benefit from Google's search engine reach and may attract new viewers long after publication (2). For a brand with an average net order value of around 30 euros, this long-tail effect is crucial (1). A placement can keep working after the initial campaign period, turning the creator's video into a lasting asset for the brand. ### Budget discipline instead of budget burning in influencer campaigns This is where our way of working at Ad Specialist differs fundamentally from many other agencies in [Influencer Marketing](/en/influencer-marketing/): Although a budget of 150,000 euros was available, we deliberately only spent 50,000 euros in the first six months - i.e. only a third (1). Why hold back? We first needed to understand how the channel performed for this specific brand. Rather than commit the entire amount immediately, we followed a disciplined sequence: test, collect data, optimise, then scale (1). ## The test phase: When the numbers from influencer campaigns are initially sobering The first few months were a roller coaster ride - and that's exactly what I expected. Here are the bare numbers from the second half of 2024 (1): - **August 2024:** 60 euros CAC - **September 2024:** 64 euros CAC - **October 2024:** 31 euros CAC - **November 2024:** over 100 euros CAC - **December 2024:** 20 euros CAC **Overall 2024:** 38 euros CAC with 1,189 new customers acquired (1) At first glance, the campaign figures were disappointing. Many brands would have stopped at this point and written off [YouTube influencer marketing](/en/channel-youtube/) as a failure. My team and I knew that this phase was necessary to gather the right lessons. [Influencer marketing](/en/influencer-marketing/) is not a performance channel that can simply be switched on. It requires patience, data analysis and continuous optimisation of each creator collaboration. The early results therefore matched our expectation: the numbers were weak, but the test phase was producing the evidence we needed to improve them (1). ### The turning point in December: success of YouTube influencers The breakthrough came in December 2024. At 20 euros per new customer, we entered the original target range for the first time, while individual creator placements achieved a CAC between 8 and 20 euros (1). The results showed that the YouTube strategy could work when campaigns were managed and optimised consistently. ## The strategic structure: This is how professional YouTube influencer marketing works The difference between successful and unsuccessful [YouTube influencer marketing](/en/channel-youtube/) lies in the details. My team and I established the operational foundation from the start (1). ### Creator selection: Relevance of YouTube influencers beats reach Instead of relying on big names with millions of followers, I focused on creators with relevant communities. The criteria for selecting the influencers were clear: German-speaking reach was mandatory. The YouTube influencers had to have their fans and viewers primarily in German-speaking countries (1). The creators needed to cover topics relevant to the product, including sustainability, lifestyle, zero waste and beauty. The relationship between creator and brand had to feel credible. Community engagement and creator trust mattered more than follower count alone (1). This strategy is in line with the latest trends in [Influencer Marketing](/en/influencer-marketing/): Micro influencers with 10,000 to 100,000 followers often achieve better results than mega-influencers because their audiences are more engaged and trust is higher (3). ### Tracking, briefing and offer optimization We set up precise tracking and clear briefings for every campaign from the start. Each placement was designed to generate immediate revenue while producing useful data for future decisions (1). Even in the first few weeks of the YouTube influencer marketing campaigns, it became clear that classic approaches such as a ten percent discount code were not enough. We tested different offers and found the solution: a starter set with a free travel size. The deal felt like real added value - that's exactly what drove conversions up (1). ### Communication strategy: Communicate sustainability as an experience through YouTubers Another critical factor was how creators presented the product. Rather than framing sustainability as sacrifice, we positioned it as a positive experience: plenty of fragrance and foam, an enjoyable shower, and no plastic. The message was simple: choosing the sustainable option did not mean giving something up (1). This creator-led storytelling proved highly effective. So we didn't sell sustainability as a sacrifice, but rather as an experience (1). ## The optimization phase: data-driven growth through YouTube influencer marketing With the solid foundation from 2024, we started the scaling phase of the influencer campaigns. From January to June 2025 we consistently implemented the lessons. The results speak for themselves (1): - **January 2025:** 40 euros CAC - **February 2025:** 25 euros CAC - **March 2025:** 30 euros CAC - **April 2025:** 41 euros CAC - **May 2025:** 26 euros CAC - **June 2025:** 28 euros CAC **Overall H1 2025:** 25 euros CAC with 2,688 new customers acquired (1) The CAC trend of YouTube influencer marketing campaigns fell significantly and stabilized at a profitable level. The number of new customers doubled from 2024 to 2025 - a clear sign of sustainable growth through [Influencer Marketing](/en/influencer-marketing/)(1). ### What makes the difference? Data-driven decisions Month after month, we analysed campaign performance in detail. Which audience age groups performed best? Which creator formats worked? Which offers created the greatest improvement (1)? These lessons were immediately incorporated into the next briefings for the content creators. At the same time, we relied on rebookings of top performers among YouTube influencers to gain stability while we continuously tested new creators (1). The programme became increasingly data-driven, with each month's findings feeding directly into the next round of creator briefs (1). A milestone was the implementation of an additional [attribution model](/en/ida/) that also took repeat purchases and long-tail effects of YouTube videos into account. The actual ROI of each influencer campaign was even higher than the initial numbers suggested. The blended CAC in the first half of 2025 fell to around 25 euros (1). ### New customer rate: More than three quarters through YouTube influencers The high rate of new customers was particularly impressive. Through [YouTube Influencer Marketing](/en/channel-youtube/), more than 75 percent of all orders came from people who had never purchased from Duschbrocken before. In some rebookings the proportion was even higher (1). Around 14 months after the first campaign, [influencer marketing](/en/influencer-marketing/) accounted for roughly 20 percent of all new Duschbrocken customers. The brand was growing again for the first time in years, and the trend remained positive (1). At that point, we had spent only 113,000 euros of the 150,000-euro budget and had not retroactively invoiced any of the agreed commission for six months. The objective was to allocate the budget deliberately, step by step, rather than spend it before the data justified scaling (1). ## The 3 R's of influencer marketing: relevance, reach and resonance The “3 R’s” of successful [Influencer Marketing](/en/influencer-marketing/) – Relevance, Reach and Resonance – also played a central role in this YouTube Influencer Marketing Case Study: **Relevance:** The YouTube creators we selected were a strong thematic fit for Duschbrocken. Their content covered sustainability, zero waste and conscious consumption (1). **Reach:** Through my strategic selection of different creator sizes - from micro influencers to larger YouTubers - we achieved an optimal balance between reach and engagement rate (1). **Resonance:** Credible creator communication helped the message reach the audience. Viewers experienced the placements as product recommendations from creators they trusted rather than as intrusive advertising (1). ## The operational reality: Why YouTube influencer marketing is not a sure-fire success Successful YouTube influencer marketing campaigns require operational work from agencies and companies: products must be sent to influencers on time so that content creators can meet their deadlines. Briefings need to be continually adjusted to achieve better results when working with YouTubers. Clear agreements with influencers protect both sides. The tracking must run error-free, otherwise a complete influencer campaign can run with zero euro return (1). This required substantial operational work. [Influencer marketing](/en/influencer-marketing/) may look simple from the outside, but a single failure in logistics, briefing, contracting or tracking can undermine the return of an entire campaign (1). Precise execution was especially important for Duschbrocken because profit only emerged with the second order. A net average order value of 30 euros did not cover every cost associated with the initial acquisition. YouTube influencer marketing became truly profitable once customers purchased again, making consistent execution across every detail essential (1). ## The numbers in the overall context Let’s summarize the key metrics from this influencer marketing case study (1): - **Total budget:** 150,000 euros for [YouTube Influencer Marketing](/en/channel-youtube/) - **Actually spent:** 113,000 euros in 14 months - **New customers acquired:** 3,877 total (1,189 in 2024, 2,688 in H1 2025) - **CAC development:** From 38 euros (2024) to 25 euros (H1 2025) - **Best placements:** Between 8 and 20 euros CAC - **New customer share:** Over 75% real new customers - **Share of overall growth:** 20% of all new customers through YouTube influencers These numbers are particularly notable in the context of the world of [influencer marketing](/en/). The influencer marketing industry has grown to $32.55 billion in 2025 – a growth of 35.63 percent (6). The average CPM in influencer marketing fell by 53 percent to $4.63 in 2024, showing that brands are now getting more than twice as much reach for the same cost (7). 73 percent of brands want to work more closely with micro influencers in 2025 as they provide the best engagement-to-cost ratio (3). YouTube remains the platform with the highest engagement rate – an average of 73 percent, well above Instagram or other social media platforms (8). ## The most important lessons for your brand **Patience in the initial phase:** The first few months were tough with CAC of over 100 euros. But it was precisely this phase that was necessary to understand what works when working with influencers (1). [**YouTube**](/en/channel-youtube/) **works differently:** It takes time for the videos to have their full effect on the audience. The long-tail effect means: A video can still generate sales and revenue in six months (1). **Strategic budget use:** 50,000 euros instead of 150,000 euros in the test phase - this decision paid off. Instead of spending the entire budget quickly, we specifically tested, optimized and then scaled (1). **Attention to detail:** Tracking, briefings, product shipping, contract management - if even one element doesn't work, the entire [YouTube Influencer Marketing](/en/channel-youtube/) campaign can fail (1). **Data-driven optimization:** The continuous analysis of age groups, formats and offers enabled us to improve campaigns with YouTube influencers step by step (1). ## The most important finding of this case study The success of Duschbrocken's [YouTube influencer marketing](/en/channel-youtube/) was no coincidence. It came from a clear roadmap, data-driven decisions and a willingness to work through the difficult early months (1). YouTube is now an integral part of the marketing mix, the brand is growing for the first time in years, and influencer marketing accounts for 20 percent of all new customers (1). At Ad Specialist, we treat [influencer marketing](/en/influencer-marketing/) as a strategic growth channel. Our work covers channel selection, budget discipline, operational execution, data-led optimisation and long-term planning (1), including creator selection, contract negotiations, briefing, tracking, campaign management and performance analysis. ## Ready for sustainable growth? Are you and your brand at the point where performance marketing reaches its limits? Are your CACs continually increasing while new customer numbers stagnate? Then YouTube influencer marketing could be exactly the growth lever you need. **Book a** [**free initial consultation**](https://calendly.com/hypedforgrowth/erstgespraech) **with me, Moritz Lambrecht**, to explore whether [YouTube influencer marketing](/en/channel-youtube/) could become a growth channel for your brand. You can also send an email or use the contact form. ## List of sources (1) Ad Specialist – Duschbrocken YouTube Influencer Marketing Case Study Video Transcript (2024/2025) (2) Linkr Network: “ROI from Influencer Marketing on YouTube” – [https://linkr-network.com/de/blog-collection/der-roi-von-influencer-marketing-auf-youtube/](https://linkr-network.com/de/blog-collection/der-roi-von-influencer-marketing-auf-youtube/) (3) Later (2025): “2025 Influencer Marketing Report: 2,500+ Campaigns Analyzed” – [https://later.com/resources/report/](https://later.com/resources/report/) (4) Mediakix (2017): “Case Study: How H&M Advertises With Celebrity Influencers” – [https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/505330/Influencer-Marketing-5-Case-Studies-Ebook.pdf](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/505330/Influencer-Marketing-5-Case-Studies-Ebook.pdf) (5) ReachX: “Influencer campaigns on YouTube” – [https://reachx.de/artikel/influencer-kampagnen-auf-youtube](https://reachx.de/artikel/influencer-kampagnen-auf-youtube) (6) Influencer Marketing Hub (2025): “Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2025” – [https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report/](https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report/) (7) Page One Formula (2025): “Influencer Marketing Cost & CPM Benchmarks (US 2024-2025)” – [https://pageoneformula.com/influencer-marketing-cost-cpm-benchmarks-2024-2025/](https://pageoneformula.com/influencer-marketing-cost-cpm-benchmarks-2024-2025/) (8) Aspire (2025): “10 Influencer Marketing Stats You Need to Know in 2025” – [https://www.aspire.io/blog/10-influencer-marketing-stats](https://www.aspire.io/blog/10-influencer-marketing-stats) ## Frequently asked questions & answers about YouTube influencer marketing ### What makes YouTube different in influencer marketing? YouTube differs greatly from other platforms due to the so-called long-tail effect: videos remain, are listed by Google and can continue to generate conversions months after publication. This makes YouTube particularly strong for products that require explanation and where helpful storytelling is crucial. With an average conversion rate of 0.25%, YouTube significantly outperforms Instagram - with a higher CPM, but also a significantly better ROI. ### Which KPIs are relevant for YouTube influencer marketing? The most important KPIs on YouTube are customer acquisition cost, conversion rate, new customer rate and ROAS. In addition, the average watch time is an indicator of content quality. It is also important that you track conversions over at least 30 days, as the long-tail effect is particularly pronounced on YouTube. If you evaluate after the first few days, you will quickly underestimate the actual performance of a placement. ### What examples are there of successful YouTube influencer marketing campaigns? We experienced a particularly impressive example at Ad Specialist with Duschbrocken: 150,000 euros budget, 3,877 new customers, CAC reduced from 60 to 25 euros - in 14 months. The Upway case study is just as strong, in which one YouTuber alone was able to sell almost 250 e-bikes in just a few weeks. Both cases show that YouTube performs significantly better than Instagram, especially when it comes to products that require explanation or are higher priced. ### Why did YouTube work for Duschbrocken? Three factors were crucial: Firstly, we positioned the product not as a sacrifice, but as a sensory experience: lots of foam, intense scents, plastic-free. Secondly, YouTube allowed enough time for real storytelling, which clearly influenced the purchase decision. Thirdly, the long-tail effect ensured that videos were able to generate conversions months after going live and that a CAC of initially 60 euros was reduced to an average of 25 euros. ### When is YouTube more worthwhile for influencer marketing than other social media channels? YouTube is particularly worthwhile when products require explanation, have a higher average order value or rely on trust - as was the case with Duschbrocken or Upway. If, on the other hand, you want to make quick impulse purchases of cheap products, you can act more flexibly with TikTok or Instagram. As a rule of thumb: the more context a product needs to convince, the stronger YouTube is compared to other platforms.