Versão em Português (click here for the Portuguese Version)
_______________________________________________________________________
The Story
My
name is Hicham and I am a passionate runner who has both run marathons and
volunteered at water stops. I started Water Baton in 2013 to design a unique
concept to satisfy the hydration needs of runners and other athletes.
The
Purpose
WATER
BATON™ was created to solve a problem that millions of runners and I experience
in this sport. We runners are not able to effectively and quickly hydrate at
water stops.
We
get splashed in the face, sometimes gag and are left with little to
drink out of cups distributed at the water stops. Sometimes runners
have to completely stop to be able to grab a cup and drink. We not only
lose precious seconds attempting to get the water cups but we are also not able
to just grab them and go: water spills out of the cups. What a waste of
time and water!
In
an effort to correct this, I've conceived the idea of a WATER BATON™.
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Image 1 - Example of a Water Baton with a Sponsor Ad
What
is WATER BATON™?
In
the format of a relay baton, WATER BATON™ is a light, recyclable beverage
container, with an EASY GRIP to grab and go, filled with just enough water
to quench the thirst of an athlete.
A
water bottle is too heavy and bulky; water cups are not practical to handle and
hold while running, so WATER BATON™ comes in handy to runners. Made of PP
plastic, the container is BPA-free and can be reused if not damaged or broken.
It
can be used by runners, triathlon competitors, swimmers, walkers and other
athletes.
Why
is WATER BATON™ different than any other water bottle?
WATER
BATON™ was designed especially for water stops, races and athletes who do not
like to carry too much water but would like to have enough water to hydrate. The
container holds approximately 4 fl oz and is easy to secure in any running
belt, waist band, arm band, or simply in ones hands.
Benefits of Using Water Baton
1.
Runners and other athletes can
-
Hydrate more effectively,
-
Spend less time at water stops,
-
Reuse or keep a WATER BATON™ as a
SOUVENIR and trophy
- Run VERY light and still have enough water
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Image 2 - AD Label Example
2.
Event directors and Sponsors have:
- Less work at water stops as the WATER BATON™
can be prefilled with a drink of choice.
- The opportunity for their WATER BATON™ to be
sponsored by third parties who want to promote the event. Ads can be printed onto the WATER BATON™
labels (see figure below).
- Promote or raise awareness of their events to
a niche market (e.g. Special Olympics, Pancreatic Cancer Walk, etc.).
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Image 3 - Water Baton labels with different Sponsors
There
are MILLIONS of runners and at least 50,000 major races in the USA per year.
This is without counting other events such as triathlons, swimming, walks,
biking, etc. Thus, we feel strongly that there is a market demand for Water
Baton.
Where Do You Come In?
Based on the
great feedback on the concept we got from runners and race directors, we decided
to pursue this dream. We have consulted with our local chamber of commerce, we have trademarked the name, the patent is pending and we can’t wait to start our
testing phase.
Currently, we
have some prototypes and started fundraising monies for the product development
phase. We are ready to go to races, walks, triathlons and other sporting events to
test our product but we need your help in order to make it a reality.
What Do We Need?
This
$ 10,000 will be used towards operation, marketing and product development.
- Approximately $5,000 for the
molds (tooling) used to manufacture the tubes and caps
- Approximately $2,000 for the
manufacturing of 2,500 containers for testing and adjustments
- Approximately $500 for shipping
Water Baton to event directors
- Approximately $1,500 for showing
the concept in sport trade shows
- Approximately $300 for the vinyl
weatherproof ad labels
- Approximately $450 for packaging
design
- Approximately $750 for
promotional material and marketing
What Do
You Get?
You will get a
special place in our hearts and live in our memories as the "Heart Founders" of
Water Baton™. We will always be thankful and grateful for that.
Also, besides
getting one of our Water Batons™, your name will be permanently listed on our
website and in the label that comes on the first Water Baton™ batch (see figure
below). See perks for more details.
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Image 4 - Label where name of Heart Founders will appear
Risks and
Challenges
The direct selling
of beverage containers to event directors is more costly than their business as
usual way of supplying water stops. Unless we have a very large demand that
drops price significantly, this way of doing business is unfeasible. However,
some race directors who were interviewed said that they would buy WATER BATONS™ regardless of price to use them as a premium
product (e.g. put in a bib package, use at the last water stop).
That said, the
primary business model will revolve around advertisement by selling ad spaces
(labels) to sponsors in the WATER BATONS™. Yet, there has
been great feedback from individual runners who said that they would buy WATER BATON™ from sport stores if price and quality
expectations match.
Another challenge concerns the design and material of this product. WATER BATON™ is striving to produce a container that is not a tripping or slipping hazard once discarded on the ground by runners at water stops. This is a challenge that we hope to address during the testing phase.
What If We Don’t Reach Our Goal?
We’d really
rather not think of that! To respect the transparency of our relationship, we
will use monies raised to design the packaging, show the concept on sports
trade fairs and save some until we have enough to do the molds. DISCLOSURE: WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEND YOU ANY WATER BATONS BY THE DUE DATE UNLESS WE REACH AT LEAST 75% OF OUR QUOTA.
Other Ways You Can Help
Every bit
counts. If you can’t donate, please assist us by sharing this message on every
sports event and social media platform you can. Share our Facebook page as
well:
_______________________________________________________________________
Versão em Português (Portuguese Version)
Estória
Meu nome é Hicham e sou um corredor ávido que já correu maratonas e
voluntariou em diversas paradas de água para corredores. Eu criei WATER BATON™ em 2013 para
satisfazer as necessidades de hidratação de corredores e outros atletas.
Propósito
WATER
BATON™ foi criado para resolver um problema que eu e milhares de outros
corredores experienciam constantemente nesse esporte. Nós corredores não
conseguimos nos hidratar rapidamente e eficientemente nas paradas de água.
Quando
tentamos beber dos copos oferecidos nas paradas de água, nosso rosto molha
facilmente, engasgamos, sobrando muito pouco no final para beber. Na maioria
das vezes os corredores têm que parar completamente para poder segurar o copo e
bebê-lo. Não somente perdemos segundos preciosos tentando pegar água mas também não
conseguimos correr com o copo na mão: a água derrama do copo. Que perda de
tempo e água!
Por
esta razão, eu criei WATER BATON™.
O
Que é WATER BATON™?
No
formato de um bastão de corrida, WATER BATON™ é um recipiente leve, reciclável e
fácil de segurar, com água suficiente para saciar a sede de um atleta.
Uma
garrafa de água é muito pesada e grande para carregar; copos de água não são práticos
para segurar e sair correndo. WATER BATON™ atende a esse problema. Feito de
polipropileno, o recepiente não contém BPA e pode ser reutilizado se não
estiver danificado ou quebrado.
Triatletas,
nadadores e outros atletas também podem se beneficiar.
Por que WATER BATON™ é diferente de qualquer
outra garrafa d’agua?
WATER
BATON™ foi projetado em especial para paradas de água, corridas e para atletas
que não querem carregar muitos líquidos mas que gostariam de ter água
suficiente para se hidratarem. O container contém aproximadamente 120 ml de água
e pode ser preso ao seu cinto de corrida, ao braço ou pode ser facilmente
levado na mão.
Benefícios
do Water Baton
1.
Corredores e outros atletas podem:
1.1.Hidratar-se mais eficientemente
1.2.Gastar menos tempo nas paradas de água
1.3.Reutilizar ou guardar o Water Baton como
lembrança da corrida
1.4.Correr mais leve e ainda ter água suficiente
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2.
Diretores de Eventos e Patrocinadores terão:
2.1.Menos trabalhos nas paradas de água uma vez
que o produto pode vir já pronto para usar.
2.2.A oportunidade para o WATER BATON™ ser
patrocinado por uma companhia com divulgação da marca e logo.
2.3. Promoção
de campanhas de conscientização com o nome de sua causa ou produto.
Como Você Pode Ajudar
Por causa do
excelente feedback que tivemos de corredores e outros atletas, resolvemos levar
a ideia a diante. Estamos atualmente com protótipos e começamos esta campanha
para arrecadar fundos para trazer o produto ao mercado. Precisamos da sua
ajuda para transformá-lo em realidade.
De Quanto
Precisamos?
Estes $10,000
dólares vão ser usados para operação, marketing e desenvolvimento de produto.
·
Aproximadamente $5,000 dólares serão usados para fabricar
o maquinario que vai produzir o tubo e a tampa.
·
Aproximadamente $2,000 dólares serão usados para fabricar
2,500 tubos para testes e ajustes
·
Aproximadamente $500 dólares serão usados para enviar
Water Batons para diretores de eventos
·
Aproximadamente $1500 para mostrar o conceito em feiras
de esportes
·
Aproximadamente $300 para fabricar as etiquetas a prova
d’água
·
Aproximadamente $450 para o design da embalagem
·
Aproximadamente $750 para marketing e material
promocional
O Que Você
Ganha?
Voce vai ter
um lugar especial no nosso coração e na memória como um dos fundadores
especiais (“Heart Founders”) do Water Baton™. Nós seremos sempre gratos por
isto.
Além de
ganhar um ou mais Water Batons™, seu name sera permanentemente listado no nosso
site e na etiqueta dos primeiros tubos. Veja os ‘PERKS” para mais detalhes.
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Outras Maneiras para Ajudar
Se você não
puder contribuir, ajude-nos compartilhando a campanha com amigos e familiares em
todas as midias sociais e outros meios.
