Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) is a framework that helps businesses understand why people buy products or services – not just what they buy or who they are demographically. In simple terms, JTBD asks: what job is the customer hiring this product to do?

Think of it this way: Consumers don’t just buy toothpaste. They “hire” it to do a job – like keeping their breath fresh before a big meeting, or improving self-confidence during a first date. These motivations may not appear on a standard customer profile, but they have everything to do with what drives buying behavior.

So why is this especially important for DTC CPG brands?

DTC brands operate closer to their customers than traditional players. Without middlemen like retailers or third-party distributors, they have direct access to consumer feedback, purchasing behavior, and product satisfaction. This access makes it easier – and more necessary – to tailor offerings for real-life, specific consumer needs.

By applying the JTBD framework, DTC brands can:

• Discover underserved or unspoken needs that traditional research might miss
• Differentiate their positioning by solving problems consumers care about deeply
• Improve product development by focusing on outcomes rather than features
• Design brand messaging that resonates because it reflects real-life contexts

Market research plays a critical role in this process. Whether through in-depth interviews, surveys, or ethnographic studies, consumer insights help reveal the “why” behind customer behavior. With the right market research approach, DTC companies can build a JTBD foundation that aligns every aspect of their business – from design and development to messaging and customer experience.

Importantly, solving consumer jobs is not only about functional needs (like cleaning teeth). It also includes emotional and social dimensions – how consumers want to feel, and how they want others to see them. Understanding this full spectrum is where qualitative research for CPG innovation truly shines, and it’s where DTC brands often outpace their legacy counterparts.

In the DTC space, where competition is high and differentiation is key, using Jobs to Be Done can uncover the kinds of insights that lead to meaningful product experiences. More than a framework, JTBD is a mindset – one that puts consumer needs at the center of innovation.

To succeed with a Jobs to Be Done approach, DTC CPG brands need to do more than understand what consumers are doing – they need to uncover why they are doing it. This starts by identifying overlooked or underserved customer jobs in everyday life and then designing products or experiences that solve those challenges more effectively than what’s currently available.

How do brands uncover these consumer jobs?

It typically begins by listening. Through consumer research methods – like one-on-one interviews, immersive observations, and behavioral surveys – DTC companies can spot hidden pains or gaps in the experience. These are moments when consumers are frustrated with current options, forced to hack together their own solutions, or simply settling for 'good enough.'

Let’s take a fictional example: A young parent struggles to pack school lunches that are both healthy and kid-approved. Most traditional snacks either lack nutrition or appeal, leaving parents stuck in a daily tug-of-war. A DTC CPG brand using JTBD might uncover this “lunchbox stress” as an underserved job – and respond by developing snacks that check both boxes: nutritious, appealing, and easy to prepare. By solving this targeted job, the brand earns trust and loyalty in a high-stakes routine.

Key steps for identifying and solving JTBD in DTC:

• Conduct hypothesis-free research: Go into research with an open mind. Let consumers drive the narrative about their habits, frustrations, and workarounds.
• Map out context: Understand the full user environment – where, when, and why they use or reject products.
• Look for struggling moments: Moments of friction are often indicators of jobs the market hasn’t solved well.
• Cluster needs into distinct jobs: Group insights into clear, outcome-based Jobs to Be Done instead of demographic buckets.

Once defined, these jobs become strategic tools for product development, marketing, and brand positioning. DTC brands can tailor messaging that speaks directly to these pain points, creating a stronger emotional and functional connection with the consumer.

Moreover, by addressing narrow but meaningful jobs – like “make me feel confident when cooking for friends” or “help me start my mornings with more energy” – emerging brands differentiate in ways that legacy brands often overlook due to broad-segment targeting. This is how direct-to-consumer brands grow: by building from real consumer needs outward, not by chasing generalized trends inward.

Consumer insights for DTC companies aren’t just about tracking preferences – they’re about understanding what people are trying to accomplish and helping them do it better. With JTBD, the goal is to design around the human experience, not just the product category. That’s where real innovation begins.

While direct-to-consumer (DTC) CPG brands have quickly embraced the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework, many established legacy brands in the consumer packaged goods space have struggled to adapt. This isn't due to a lack of resources or talent. Rather, it's often about mindset and operating models that aren’t built for agility or deep, consumer-driven innovation.

Organizational Inertia and Risk Aversion

Legacy CPG companies typically rely on time-tested formulas and scale-based efficiencies. This focus on what has traditionally worked can make it difficult to spot shifting consumer behaviors or give new ideas a chance to grow. Innovative thinking may get deprioritized in favor of protecting existing market share, leading to missed opportunities to meet emerging or underserved consumer needs.

Surface-Level Consumer Research

Many large brands rely heavily on traditional surveys and sales data. While valuable, these tools may only scratch the surface of what truly motivates consumers. As a result, they tend to optimize existing products rather than uncover white space for new ones. In comparison, DTC brands often use qualitative research – such as in-depth interviews or ethnographic studies – to understand the emotional needs behind consumer behavior.

Slow Product Development Cycles

Legacy brands often move slowly due to complex hierarchies and long approval processes. Launching a new product can take years, making it hard to respond in real time to evolving consumer expectations. DTC brands, by contrast, are often able to test new ideas quickly, iterate fast, and launch products with precision based on consumer insights gathered through JTBD thinking.

Common blind spots for legacy CPG include:

• Focusing too narrowly on product categories vs. full consumer solutions
• Misaligning offerings with modern lifestyles and values
• Underestimating digitally native competitors

Ultimately, the JTBD framework enables DTC brands to rethink a product’s purpose through the eyes of its user. Without a deep shift in how legacy firms approach market research and CPG strategy, it's easy for them to bypass growth opportunities that newer brands eagerly capture.

DTC CPG brands that win with Jobs to Be Done often operate with a laser focus on solving specific, often overlooked problems in consumers’ lives. Unlike broad demographic segmentation, JTBD identifies functional, emotional, or social needs that drive purchase decisions – unlocking entirely new growth potential.

Example 1: A Low-Waste Personal Care Brand

A fictional DTC brand identified an underserved job: “Help me feel clean without contributing to landfill waste.” Using this JTBD insight, the company developed refillable deodorant sticks and concentrated shampoo tablets in compostable packaging. Consumers weren’t just switching for sustainability – they were hiring the product to align with their personal values while maintaining hygiene standards.

Example 2: A Plant-Based Pet Nutrition Startup

Another use case involved pet owners seeking healthier options for pets with dietary sensitivities. The underlying job was: “Help me care for my pet like family, without sacrificing their well-being.” Leveraging this emotional job-to-be-done, the brand introduced a line of hypoallergenic, high-protein, plant-based pet foods. Sales took off due to the clear value prop combined with content-rich education on pet nutrition.

Example 3: A Sleep-Focused Functional Beverage Company

An emerging beverage brand didn’t aim to compete with sports drinks or iced teas. Instead, they addressed this job: “Help me unwind and fall asleep naturally after a long day.” They created a herbal, low-sugar night-time drink designed to signal relaxation. It resonated because it tapped into a clear, functional job paired with emotional need – helping consumers transition from the chaos of the day to a calm night’s rest.

What these examples all have in common:

• A clear understanding of the consumer need behind the product
• Use of consumer insights to guide product development
• Positioning that communicates how the product “fits into my life”

These DTC brands didn’t aim to be everything to everyone. They succeeded because they used JTBD to deeply understand and serve a targeted group of consumers in meaningful ways – a concept that brands of any size can replicate.

If you're looking to unlock growth, gain clarity on unmet consumer needs, or guide smarter product development, the Jobs to Be Done framework is a powerful place to start – whether you're a DTC newcomer or an established CPG brand. The good news is, applying JTBD doesn’t require sweeping change. It begins by shifting your perspective from product features to consumer outcomes.

Start by Asking the Right Questions

Instead of asking, “What do consumers want?” ask: “What are they trying to accomplish in their lives, and what’s getting in the way?” This reframing leads to more meaningful customer insights that reflect real world behavior, not just attitudes or preferences.

Use Qualitative Research to Uncover Hidden Jobs

Qualitative methods are vital here. Conversations, in-home interviews, and observational studies help reveal the full context of a consumer’s challenges. At SIVO Insights, we often design custom market research to surface the specific triggers, hurdles, and desired outcomes that shape product usage and decision-making.

Map the JTBD Journey

Once you’ve identified a core “job,” you can map how consumers currently try to satisfy it, where the gaps are, and what they wish they had instead. This becomes a roadmap for innovation – pointing to new features, messaging, or even entirely new product lines tailored to specific pain points.

To begin applying JTBD thinking:

• Identify recurring frustrations or “workarounds” consumers use today
• Look beyond your immediate category – what alternatives are consumers turning to?
• Track jobs over time – some evolve as consumers’ lives and environments change

Combine JTBD with Agile Testing

JTBD insights shine brightest when paired with agile experimentation. You can start small, such as piloting a marketing campaign focused on a particular job, or testing a new product concept based on findings. The goal is to learn fast and iterate based on authentic consumer feedback.

Whether you’re just beginning market research for a DTC brand or looking to improve your current CPG strategy, JTBD equips you with a deeper lens into what matters most to consumers – and how to serve them better, right now.