Strategic Marketing of LifeStraw for the Columbian Market

This report provides a detailed analysis of the potential for LifeStraw, a portable water filter, in the Columbian market. It begins with an executive summary outlining the scope of the analysis, followed by an introduction to the product and the research objectives. The discussion section delves into both cultural and economic factors relevant to the product's success in Colombia, including an examination of Columbian cultural values, group orientation, language, and the state of the public healthcare system and water access. The economic analysis considers Colombia's economic growth, key industries, import/export dynamics, and distribution channels. The report concludes that LifeStraw has a high potential for success in Colombia due to favorable cultural and economic conditions, but emphasizes the importance of a well-defined marketing and distribution strategy. The report references multiple sources to support its findings and offers a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities for LifeStraw in the Columbian market.

Running head: MARKETING OF LIFE STRAW IN COLUMBIA
MARKETING OF LIFE STRAW IN COLUMBIA
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1MARKETING OF LIFE STRAW IN COLUMBIA
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In the following essay, the scope and possibility of introduction of a product called
“LifeStraw” in Columbian market will be discussed. The mentioned product is a personal,
portable, and hand-held filter that purifies contaminated water and makes it drinkable. The
product’s possible success in the country will be analysed in the light of Columbian culture,
and present economic state. It is found as conclusion that the product can be successfully
inducted in the country because of favourable cultural and economic conditions, but proper
marketing and distribution strategy should be implemented.

2MARKETING OF LIFE STRAW IN COLUMBIA
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................3
DISCUSSION............................................................................................................................3
CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF COLUMBIA.........................................................................3
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF COLUMBIA.........................................................................4
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES:..........................................................................................................................7

3MARKETING OF LIFE STRAW IN COLUMBIA
INTRODUCTION
International marketing research is specific discipline of study dealing with market
research on particular geographical areas and zones (Babin & Zikmund, 2015). In this paper,
a detailed cultural analysis and market study of Columbia will be done along with the market
penetration possibility of LifeStraw, a portable filter, in Columbian Market. LifeStraw is
meant for use by one person and works for a year at a stretch, and is targeted at developing
nations where there are instances of humanitarian crisis. Columbia is a country in the
equatorial region with rainforests and grasslands. It has a cultural identity of its own but also
has many similarities with other Latin American countries. It is one of the most promising
and growing economies in the South-American continent (Velasco & Hurtado, 2015).
DISCUSSION
CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF COLUMBIA
This country has a typical Latin American culture. It is situated in the Equatorial
region and is characterised by existence of dense rainforests and lush grasslands. The
Amazon rainforests are partly situated in this country (Molina et al., 2016). Columbians value
their relationships highly, both in terms of social and business scenarios. They have a
tradition of greeting each other in a prolonged set of enquiries about family, health and other
activities. This has a positive impact on business relationships as well, because creating a
personal bond strengthens the prospects of the business. The Columbians have a high group
orientation where the welfare of the group supersedes individual affair. English is not very
widely practiced and Spanish is the official language apart from more than 40 other
indigenous languages (McDougald, 2015). The public health care system in Columbia is
improving gradually. The government spends a considerable amount of money in the health

4MARKETING OF LIFE STRAW IN COLUMBIA
sector, which is about 20% of the total budget ("COUNTRY PROFILE: COLOMBIA",
2018). Urban and provincial inhabitants experienced critical contrasts in access to medicinal
services. At the rural level, the divisions in the coffee producing regions showed the best
standard of governance but the non-coffee producing regions were poor and unsustainable. At
the base of the scale were the provincial zones in terms of quality and scope, additionally the
neighbourhoods in medium-sized and little urban communities. Water supply and treatment
in Colombia has been enhanced from various perspectives over the previous decades but not
satisfactorily enough in terms of reach. In the vicinity of 1990 and 2010, access to enhanced
water source's expanded just marginally from 89% to 94 (Imbach et al., 2015). The rural
zones are still lagging behind. Besides, in spite of changes, the nature of water and sanitation
administration stays insufficient. For instance, just 73% of those accepting open
administrations get water of consumable quality and in 2006, just 25% of the wastewater
produced in the nation experienced any sort of treatment.
Therefore analysing the culture and lifestyle of the Columbian people it is highly
probable that the LifeStraw filters will be successful. The people need better instruments to
filter water and make it drinkable. As the social order is group oriented, the adoption to this
new concept would be in large groups resulting in financial success of the product. The
country is situated in the Equatorial region, which experiences high amount of rainfall. The
accumulated waters often become polluted and undrinkable. The new filters will help the
marginalised people to gain access to clean, healthy, and safe drinking water.
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF COLUMBIA
Colombia is South America's fourth biggest and Mid America's second biggest
economy estimated by total national output (Imf.org, 2015). Oil is Colombia's fundamental
fare, making more than 45% of Colombia's export. Colombia has the quickest developing
data innovation industry on the planet and has the longest fibre optic system in Latin

5MARKETING OF LIFE STRAW IN COLUMBIA
America. Colombia likewise has one of the biggest shipbuilding enterprises on the planet
outside Asia. Present day ventures like shipbuilding, hardware, vehicle, tourism,
development, and mining, developed drastically amid the 2010s, in any case, the vast
majority of Colombia's exports are still product based. Colombia is Latin America's second
biggest maker of locally made hardware and apparatuses just behind Mexico. Colombia had
the quickest developing real economy in the west in 2014, behind just China around the
world. The moderately solid financial approach process has increased the monetary extension
averaging more than four and half percent per year in the previous five years (Schneider &
Hametner, 2014). An establishing member of the Pacific Alliance, Colombia has organized
commerce concurrences with America. and numerous other nations. More supported
development in economic flexibility will require further and additional institutional changes.
Corruption still remains one of the important issues in numerous segments of this country’s
economy. Import and export have become two primary economic activities (Balza & Guerra,
2016).
This country offers a complete variety of sales channels and methods to buyers, with
varied distribution methods relying upon the variety of item advertised. These methods range
from customary and traditional wholesalers pitching to conventional stores which target the
general people, to more sophisticated plans, for example, vast merchandising establishments
and superstores, which are gradually becoming well known shops. Most imported stuffs,
most importantly capital hardware and materials which are raw, are still now obtained via
operators and wholesalers, some huge local assembling companies import these articles
directly. Furthermore, few big merchants, end-clients and whole sellers are opening buying
offices and stockrooms in America and other developed countries.
With the highly promising economic growth and developed distribution and
marketing system, the induction of LifeStraw in Colombian market would be quite easy and

6MARKETING OF LIFE STRAW IN COLUMBIA
fast. The people of the country who have economic potential to buy healthcare and sanitation
product will surely buy the LifeStraw for personal or family use. There are variants of the
LifeStraw that caters to the whole family. The strong distribution system will cater to the fast
and widespread distribution of the product throughout the country.
CONCLUSION
LifeStraw is a revolutionary product, which can transform the accessibility of clean
drinking water to all the sections of the population. The product is not very costly and it
works for a year. Contaminated water when poured in it, the filter gives out clean and
purified drinking water. Colombia being a country, which has some major flaws in sanitation
and supply of clean drinking water to the whole population, certainly needs this revolutionary
product. The growing economy and developing distribution system will help in transporting
the product to every corner of the country.

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REFERENCES:
Babin, B. J., & Zikmund, W. G. (2015). Exploring marketing research. Cengage Learning.
Balza, L., & Guerra, A. (2016). Quality of Exports as an Additional Tool for Policymakers:
The Case of Colombia. Policy Journal, 30.
COUNTRY PROFILE: COLOMBIA. (2018). Loc.gov. Retrieved 6 January 2018, from
https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/cs/profiles/Colombia.pdf
Imbach, P., Locatelli, B., Zamora, J. C., Fung, E., Calderer, L., Molina, L., & Ciais, P.
(2015). 3 Impacts of climate change on ecosystem hydrological services of Central
America. Climate Change Impacts on Tropical Forests in Central America: An
Ecosystem Service Perspective, 65.
Imf.org. (2015). Report for Selected Countries and Subjects. Retrieved 6 January 2018,
from http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2017
McDougald, J. (2015). Teachers' attitudes, perceptions and experiences in CLIL: A look at
content and language. Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 17(1), 25-41.
Molina, C. M., Pringle, J. K., Saumett, M., & Evans, G. T. (2016). Geophysical and botanical
monitoring of simulated graves in a tropical rainforest, Colombia, South
America. Journal of Applied Geophysics, 135, 232-242.
Schneider, F., & Hametner, B. (2014). The shadow economy in Colombia: size and effects on
economic growth. Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy, 20(2), 293-
325.
Velasco, A. M., & Hurtado, C. A. C. (2015). A Macro CGE Model for the Colombian
Economy. Borrador de Economía, (863).