Lifestraw Marketing Plan

Bryan Owens

MG231 – Principles of Marketing

End of Mod Paper

5/6/2015

LifeStraw

Marketing Plan

By Bryan Owens

Executive Summary

More than one billion people, one sixth of the world’s population are without access to safe water supply. At any given moment, about half of the world's poor are suffering from waterborne diseases, of which over 6,000, mainly children, die each day by consuming unsafe drinking water. The LifeStraw is an invention that could become one of the greatest life-savers in history. It is a 25 cm long, 2.5cm diameter, plastic pipe filter and costs just a few dollars. LifeStraw is a personal, low-cost water purification tool with a life time of 1000 liters, approximately one year of water consumption for one person. Positive test results have been achieved on tap, turbid and saline water against common waterborne bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella, Enterococcus and Staphylococci. Each LifeStraw lasts for one person’s annual needs of clean water a simple straw costing a few dollars will ensure that one at-risk person will not die for a year. This LifeStraw was designed with special emphasize on avoiding any moving parts, as a sealed unit with no replaceable spare parts, and avoiding the use of electricity, which does not exist in many areas in the 3rd world. LifeStraw is a water filter designed to be used by one person to filter water so that they may safely drink it. It removes almost all waterborne bacteria and parasites. It was designed by the Swiss-based Vestergaard Frandsen for people living in developing nations and for distribution in humanitarian crisis. It was distributed in the 2010 Haiti earthquake, 2010 Pakistan floods, and 2011 Thailand floods. Water that is drawn up through the straw first passes through hollow fibers that filter water particles down to 0.2 microns across, using only physical filtration methods and no chemicals. The entire process is powered by suction, similar to using a conventional drinking straw,...