Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) is a consumer research framework that looks at products and services through the lens of the consumer’s underlying needs. Instead of asking, “What features do consumers want?” JTBD asks, “What job is the consumer trying to get done, and how does this product help them accomplish it?”

For example, someone buying a sports drink may not be motivated solely by hydration. They might be trying to feel energized after a workout, appear fitness-focused to others, or stay alert during a long shift at work. These underlying drivers represent the actual ‘jobs’ being hired out to the product – emotional or functional needs that shape real purchase decisions.

For CPG brands, understanding these purchase drivers is essential. With thousands of products sharing shelf space and digital ad real estate, it's no longer enough to offer good features or competitive pricing. Brands need to show that they uniquely fulfill particular shopper jobs – and make that value evident in packaging, messaging, placement, and promotions.

Why JTBD is Valuable in CPG Marketing and Innovation

In today’s fast-moving categories, many innovations lose traction because they’re not grounded in real consumer jobs. JTBD research helps mitigate that risk by focusing product development and brand strategy around the tasks, outcomes, or emotions consumers are actually looking to satisfy. This can unlock new whitespace opportunities or show how to reframe an existing product to meet a more urgent job.

Key reasons CPG brands use Jobs To Be Done:

• Deeper understanding of shopper behavior – JTBD reveals the emotional and situational context behind grocery decisions, not just usage occasion.
• Smarter innovation – Spot unsolved consumer jobs that represent unmet needs or underserved segments.
• Clearer product positioning – Craft messaging that matches what your audience values most in specific purchase moments.
• Improved marketing ROI – Reduce guesswork by aligning campaigns with what truly drives action.

Take a fictional example: Two different parents might each buy the same packaged granola bar, but for totally different reasons – one as a quick lunchbox fix that avoids peanuts, the other as a snack that won’t cause a sugar crash before practice. Understanding the 'job' behind each behavior unlocks opportunities to serve both buyers better – or reshape messaging to target one more precisely.

In short, JTBD is not about replacing existing CPG insights tools – it's about enhancing them. When layered with demographic or usage data, it helps answer the most critical question in retail strategy: Why does this purchase happen in this specific moment, over a competing product?

In a retail store, shoppers are faced with dozens – sometimes hundreds – of potential choices. They may only pause for seconds before deciding which product to pick up and place in their cart. Traditional in-store research methods often look at what's purchased, but not what triggers that decision in the moment. The Jobs To Be Done framework helps fill this critical gap by uncovering what shoppers are truly trying to accomplish at the time of purchase.

Unlike broader segmentation or top-line sales data, JTBD zeroes in on what’s happening in context. It explores the mental checklists and emotional backdrops driving those split-second shelf decisions. For CPG brands, this insight is invaluable when trying to optimize packaging, placement, promotions, and retail strategy.

What Drives the Final Choice at Shelf?

JTBD-based research can reveal that a shopper doesn’t just buy cereal to eat in the morning, but because they are looking for:

• A no-fuss solution for kids who resist breakfast routines
• Something that feels indulgent without guilt
• A product that can be eaten in the car when they’re running late

These 'jobs' may vary depending on the shopping mission: a weekly stock-up trip vs. a quick grab after work. JTBD helps reveal how situational, emotional, and functional factors combine to guide final in-store decisions – the moment when brand choice becomes action.

Applying JTBD in Retail Environments

When retailers and CPG brands understand the true job a shopper is trying to complete, they can redesign the experience to better meet those needs. This could include:

• Messaging aligned to real needs – Packaging or shelf talkers that focus on the job (“Feel full without feeling heavy”) rather than generic benefit statements.
• Optimized shelf placement – Using JTBD insights to position products where and when they’re most top-of-mind for completing that job.
• Tailored promotions – Highlighting product usage that matches distinct purchase drivers, like “Great for travel-friendly breakfasts.”

For example, a fictional snack brand discovered through JTBD analysis that many of its in-store buyers weren’t looking for a new snack – they were trying to manage hunger between long meetings. That insight led to a new packaging claim (“Crush afternoon cravings”) and placing displays near bottled waters in convenience store sections – increasing same-day trial.

JTBD also allows brands to tailor solutions differently even within the same category. A multivitamin brand may speak to energy for busy professionals in drugstores while emphasizing immune health for parents in grocery stores – both real jobs, just in tailored contexts. This boosts relevance right at the decision moment.

By focusing on what drives in-store decision making, JTBD gives CPG marketers more precision. It helps close the gap between intent and action – which is critical in high-competition environments where differentiation matters most at the shelf.

Understanding the New Rules of the Digital Shelf

Online grocery shopping isn't just a convenience – it's now a critical battleground for CPG brands. As more consumers browse and buy groceries digitally, the concept of the 'digital shelf' has gained importance. But unlike the physical shelf, success online depends on very different dynamics: searchability, product imagery, ratings, reviews, and more. This is where the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework becomes incredibly valuable.

JTBD helps CPG brands uncover the true needs and motivations shoppers bring into this digital environment – not just what they buy, but why they buy it and under what conditions. Understanding these digital jobs can drive smarter decisions about content, features, messaging, and even when to promote.

How JTBD Applies to Online Purchase Drivers

When shoppers are online, they're influenced by different cues compared to in-store browsing. Without physical packaging or eye-level shelf real estate, the path to purchase becomes a decision based on immediate relevance and clarity. JTBD research sheds light on:

• What prompts shoppers to add a product to their cart (e.g., last-minute dinner prep, health-conscious snacking, kid-friendly options)
• What filters they apply when browsing online categories (e.g., dietary needs, familiar brands, budget-based searches)
• What content builds confidence (e.g., reviews, ingredient transparency, ease of use)

These are all part of the “job” digital shoppers are trying to complete. When a brand understands the moments that matter most in online decision making, it can optimize its positioning to match how and when consumers search and choose.

Applying JTBD to Strengthen Your Digital Retail Strategy

Here’s where JTBD-guided insights can make a real impact on digital shelf performance:

Improve search visibility: Align product names, keywords, and descriptions to match the language consumers naturally use when seeking solutions.

Optimize imagery and titles: Ensure product thumbnails provide immediate visual cues that relate directly to the job being solved.

Surface meaningful claims: If your product helps families save time on hectic weekdays or supports specific health goals, highlight those as front-line benefits.

Tailor promotions to digital journeys: Based on the shopper's job, consider bundling products or recommending complementary items to maximize cart value.

By addressing why consumers choose certain CPG brands during online grocery shopping, JTBD helps brands move beyond click-through metrics to create a seamless, need-based digital path to purchase.

Translating JTBD Research Into Real-World Strategies

Knowing the job is only half the equation – winning with JTBD means taking action. Once CPG teams understand what jobs consumers are hiring their products to complete, that knowledge becomes a powerful asset across multiple functions, from product development to retail execution to marketing.

Here’s how different parts of a CPG organization can turn JTBD insights into meaningful change:

Product & Innovation Teams

Use JTBD research to identify unmet needs and whitespace opportunities. This can inform new product development that's grounded in real shopper intent, not just category trends. For example, if busy parents say they 'hire' a snack product to keep kids full without added sugar before sports practice, that's a product design cue worth exploring.

Marketing Teams

Messaging can be crafted not only around product benefits, but centered on the customer’s job-to-be-done. Highlighting how a product helps complete a task or solve a problem resonates more than broad brand claims. Whether for packaging copy, digital ads, or in-aisle signage, framing around the consumer’s need creates stronger connections.

Sales & Shopper Marketing Teams

Armed with JTBD insights, teams can better work with retailers to influence shelf placement, promotion timing, and bundling strategies. Understanding what drives in-store decision making – such as buying for specific occasions or solving mealtime dilemmas – can guide stronger, insight-driven customer conversations.

Cross-Functional Alignment

Because JTBD provides a shared understanding of the consumer’s motivational moments, it serves as a common language across teams. When Marketing, Innovation, and Sales all understand why a consumer chooses a certain product at shelf or online, it's easier to coordinate strategies that deliver a consistent brand experience.

Simple Steps to Activate JTBD

• Host team workshops to internalize top JTBD findings
• Map key 'jobs' to product offerings and identify gaps
• Build messaging matrices using language sourced from JTBD interviews
• Assess shelf displays or PDPs (product detail pages) to align with common shopper scenarios

At SIVO, we’ve seen that teams who embed JTBD into their product innovation processes or brand planning frameworks unlock more targeted, efficient strategies. The framework allows them to make strategic bets based on lived consumer reality – not assumptions.

Bringing JTBD to Life in the World of CPG

While the Jobs To Be Done framework is rooted in research, its power lies in how it transforms strategy. Let’s explore a few fictional but illustrative examples of how JTBD insights can reshape product innovation, marketing, and shopper strategies in the consumer packaged goods space.

Scenario 1: A Snack Brand Targets Afternoon Energy Slumps

JTBD research uncovers that many consumers grab mid-afternoon snacks not for hunger, but to boost focus and mood during the workday. Their 'job' isn’t just eating – it’s staying alert and avoiding another coffee. This insight leads the brand to develop a new product line emphasizing energy from natural ingredients, with messaging like “Power through 3PM with clean fuel.”

Scenario 2: A Frozen Entree Brand Reimagines Online Positioning

For busy parents shopping online, mealtime jobs revolve around speed, health, and family satisfaction. JTBD interviews reveal frustration with options that don’t meet all three. This insight inspires the brand to update its digital product pages with new imagery (showing happy family moments), clearer prep time, and ingredient callouts, leading to increased cart conversions.

Scenario 3: A Cleaning Product Shifts In-Store Messaging

Instead of marketing on strength or scent alone, a cleaning product brand discovers that weekend “reset moments” are key – when consumers want their space to feel refreshed and accomplished. Reframing in-store signage with that emotional job in mind (“Make your home weekend-ready in 10 minutes”) boosts purchase consideration in-aisle, even among loyal competitor buyers.

Why These Examples Matter

Each of these fictional stories illustrates why understanding what drives purchase decisions in-store or online is critical. It’s not just about features or function. JTBD allows brands to align with the full context of a shopper's motivation – their goals, pressures, moods, and desired outcomes. And when CPG brands solve for those with clarity, the payoff is real.

At scale, JTBD insights can spark more than tactical tweaks. They help transform brand strategies, reveal new usage occasions, and uncover positioning angles competitors haven’t addressed. For teams wondering how to break through crowded categories, JTBD provides a human-led, job-focused path to relevance and conversion.