[Marketing Mantra] The Number Mantra

[Loganathan Arumugam]

"Protected of 10 different Skin infections", "Kills 10 different types of Germs", "kills 99.9% germs in 10 secs", these are few of the promises that has been placed by some leading brands especially from the house of Unilever. The uniqueness among the statements is very simple and that’s the discussion for the day. The number "Ten". We human beings generally get most influenced by the numbers while making purchase decisions. Be it a price tag, discount rate, quantity or even the value for money we pay, everything runs around the numbers that our brains process much easier compared to other intangible brand equity benefits. Brands best utilize the number in the pricing and discount strategy that strikes our psychology with high precision.

In the recent days, Unilever is aggressively utilizing the numbers in promoting some of the brands to showcase the respective brands' product scope and the reach. Hamam, Pepsodent, Lifebuoy, and Knorr Soups are some of the brands that I’m discussing about. The much interesting thing to be noted here is the Number 10 that they are using in all the promotions of these brands. Not sure how far it has been accepted by the market. Hamam promises that it protect the skin from Ten different skin related issues like Pepsodent for Ten dental problems, Knorr soups has been accepted by every 9 out-of 10 kids in the country. The similarity behind the strategy is, in all the cases the brands have tried to quantify their competency one way or the other. Not claiming for higher values, the brands are very conscious in using a number that would easily reach the audience’s math-mind, with a comfortable magnitude.

From the same FMCG house, Fair and Lovely fairness cream is known for its 7 days fairness challenge and it is a great success in the Indian fairness cream market. All the brands are bound for quantified benefits one way or other. The actual mantra behind the use of "Ten" and why not other has no real proof but from our childhood days we are used with an evaluation scale “out of 10”, Unilever the FMCG giant has identified and materialized/capitalized it brilliantly well. There can be so many other reasons behind this No. 10 strategy that Unilever adopts, that made this as a great strategy that keeps their brands uniquely placed in a market where value for money and the benefits earned are key influencing elements among consumers. Usage of perfect numbers in place would help consumers to evaluate and quantify the brands easier.

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Posted By Loganathan Arumugam to Marketing Mantra at 10/01/2011 06:52:00 AM