British multinational company that manufactures consumer goods in different segments for home care, hygiene and health.
In the crowded aisle of household-cleaning products, making a brand stand out is no longer simply a matter of placement or promotion — it’s about experience, visibility and meaningful connection. For Lysol, a trusted disinfectant brand under Reckitt Benckiser, that meant a bold repositioning of the in-store display environment. Through a collaboration with AIM Worldwide, the SmartShelf initiative delivered a tangible solution: a “smart header” display that turned heads and translated into measurable gains.
Reckitt’s Hygiene division — home to Lysol and Dettol — competes in a highly saturated, commoditized market where innovation cycles are short and shelf competition is fierce.
According to Reckitt’s Q3 2020 financial report, the Hygiene division achieved 19.5% like-for-like growth, driven largely by Lysol.
But growth alone doesn’t guarantee shelf dominance. The real challenge was to stand out visually and emotionally among competitors using similar colors, messaging, and packaging cues.
As then–Reckitt CEO Laxman Narasimhan explained during the pandemic:
“In some industries, you’ll see a shake-out where the companies that win are the ones that truly understand consumers.”
— L. Narasimhan, CEO of Reckitt Benckiser, interview with Salesforce Partners (Salesforce Partners, 2020)
That insight became the cornerstone of Lysol’s new retail strategy: to move from being a functional product to becoming an educational and aspirational brand experience.
AIM Worldwide designed and implemented intelligent header displays for Lysol across supermarkets and traditional retail environments, transforming static shelves into dynamic brand communication platforms.
These displays did more than showcase products — they brought the brand’s purpose to life, reinforcing Lysol’s leadership in hygiene and prevention.
Key components of the project:
The result was a retail presence that was not only aesthetically appealing but also strategically aligned with the brand’s values.
Although precise sales figures were not disclosed, the qualitative impact was undeniable — Lysol became unmissable on the shelf.
The SmartShelf activation proved so effective that it became a scalable model for other Reckitt brands.
Globally, Reckitt’s Hygiene division — with Lysol as a flagship — recorded sustained double-digit growth. According to the company’s 2020 results presentation, this reflected both increased usage and improved visibility.
During that same period, CEO Narasimhan highlighted the cultural shift behind the success:
“We are making strong progress embedding our Purpose, Fight, and Compass into our culture… and delivering the full Lysol and Dettol potential.”
— L. Narasimhan, Reckitt Benckiser CEO, HY 2020 Results Transcript (Reckitt Benckiser, 2020)
The case shows that physical retail remains a powerful space for strategic innovation, even in a digital-first world.
The Lysol–SmartShelf case reveals four key lessons for brand and retail leaders:
The SmartShelf project by AIM Worldwide for Lysol demonstrates that retail infrastructure investments can become powerful brand-building assets.
Lysol didn’t just occupy space — it owned it.
The success lay in transforming a traditional shelf into a three-dimensional communication medium — one that informs, inspires, and activates.
In crowded categories, the message is clear: presence isn’t enough — memorability wins.
When a brand like Lysol turns its physical presence into a conversation, it stops being one among many and becomes the one consumers remember.
Know more about our smart shelves.
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