• Ad Age , Wednesday, November 19, 2008 10:45 AM

Reckitt Benckiser has been the most successful major package-goods company of the past five years in sales and profit growth, Jack Neff reports. The British-based company's 17 "power brands" include Lysol, Airwick, Finish, Mucinex, Veet and French's mustard.

Reckitt has posted 10% organic sales growth worldwide so far this year. "The most frequent question we have been asked about Reckitt Benckiser in 2008 is, 'How do they do it?'" writes Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Andrew Wood in a recent note. "Our most frequently given answer is, 'We don't really know.' ... They are simply extraordinary operators."

Culturally, Reckitt says it values conflict and speed above consensus and process. "We love conflict," says Rob de Groot, Reckitt's evp-North America and Australia/New Zealand, "but only if it makes a better decision. ... Consensus can be okay, but we usually go with conflict and then one decision rather than trying to merge all kinds of positions into one outcome."

Neff's report includes "five things you can learn from Reckitt Benckiser," including, "recession doesn't have to be a deal breaker." The company has, in fact, raised spending and gained share.

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