All of us have heard about Maggie’s 2-minute noodles, and Ujala, char boondoh wala. Numbers are being used as USP for a wide variety of products. There is a tea with paanch ayurvedic tatva, and a fridge with a ‘sixth sense’. There are pastes which can fight a certain number of problems, and pain balm that can act a certain number of ways. Numbers put forward a quantitative claim and lend credibility to advertising. All fairness creams make a difference in a week or a fortnight. Numbers communicate the strength of a product. Cosmetics stress a certain number of ingredients, each contributing to its overall efficacy. Though claims are made, these should be delivered too. There should not be too short or too long a duration for fairness cream to act. Too short, and it becomes miraculous and too long, and consumers tend to lose interest. Numbers should be put in context so as to make them symbolic and evocative. Britannia cheese says its one slice is equal to two glasses of milk. Personal care products become credible if numbers are used. However,as we have already observed, if product fails to deliver, you lose all the credibility. Using numbers is thus a double-edged sword.