Translating JTBD into CPG Context

• A parent doesn’t just buy cereal – they may be trying to get breakfast on the table quickly while juggling a busy morning (a functional job) and feeling like a good caretaker (an emotional job).
• Someone choosing flavored sparkling water may be hiring it to help them quit sugary sodas (a habit change job) or to make hydration more enjoyable during office hours (a lifestyle job).

Benefits of a JTBD Approach in CPG Insights

Putting It Into Practice

Why Usage Context Matters

• A protein bar designed for fitness enthusiasts might also be used by busy professionals needing a no-mess, one-handed snack between meetings.
• A family-size bottle of juice could be a poor fit for someone who’s mostly drinking at work, where small, portable sizes are far more convenient.

How JTBD Enhances Packaging Insights

Packaging and Habit Formation

One of the most powerful aspects of the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework is its ability to uncover the emotional and behavioral patterns that drive consumer habits. In the world of consumer packaged goods (CPG), where purchasing decisions are often made on autopilot, understanding the deeper motivations behind those decisions can be a game-changer.

Why emotions matter in CPG decisions

Consumers rarely buy a product just for its functional benefit. They’re choosing a cereal that makes mornings feel organized, a hand soap that signals cleanliness and care, or a snack that offers a moment of reward during a busy day. These choices are full of emotional subtext – and JTBD helps bring that to light.

By using JTBD interviews, usage diaries, or in-home ethnographies, insights teams can uncover what job a product is being “hired” to do. Beyond simple needs, this method reveals the emotional drivers tied to routines and rituals, such as:

• Relieving stress (e.g., enjoying a favorite beverage after work)
• Feeling successful (e.g., picking a toddler food that looks healthy and earns parent approval)
• Creating comfort (e.g., using a specific laundry detergent that reminds someone of home)

These emotional cues influence everything from brand strategy to new product positioning and messaging.

Case in point: habit formation in beverage categories

Imagine a flavored sparkling water brand. On the surface, consumers may say they buy it because it’s low-calorie and refreshing. But digging through a JTBD lens might reveal jobs like: “I want a fizzy drink that makes my workday feel more enjoyable without guilt” or “I reach for this at lunch to signal a small moment of self-care.” With this information, brand teams can rethink messaging, packaging, and even inspire additional formats to support this habitual job.

Integrate JTBD into usage and habit research

Adding the JTBD method to your consumer research toolkit means your team gains more than just behavioral data. You gain an understanding of how a product fits into people’s lives – from usage context to emotional payoff – and how patterns form over time.

As habit formation is integral to brand loyalty in CPG, these insights can help teams design products and marketing that feel intuitive and emotionally resonant – increasing both initial trial and long-term repeat purchase.

For CPG innovation teams and marketers, the Jobs to Be Done approach offers a surprisingly clear roadmap for creating products that people truly want – even if they can’t articulate it themselves. Unlike traditional demographics or preferences-based research, JTBD zeroes in on what consumers are trying to accomplish in specific moments. That clarity makes it a powerful ally for both product development and marketing strategy.

Turning jobs into product opportunities

When consumers describe the “job” they’re trying to get done – whether it’s “helping my kids eat veggies without complaining” or “making weekday dinners less stressful” – these insights can directly inform idea generation. CPG brands can identify unmet needs, usage gaps, or frustrations that aren’t being addressed in the marketplace.

That might inspire:

• New product ideas (e.g., a shelf-stable snack addressing after-school hunger)
• Alternative formats for existing SKUs (e.g., portability to suit on-the-go occasions)
• Updated flavors, ingredients, or prep methods aligned to usage context

What makes JTBD especially valuable is its focus on the context and deeper need behind consumption. This helps avoid the trap of innovating for innovation’s sake.

Strengthening go-to-market planning with JTBD

The applications don’t stop at the R&D stage. JTBD insights can shape messaging, claims, and even shelf placement. If you know a frozen meal is being hired to make a parent feel efficient and guilt-free, your marketing can speak to that emotional job directly.

By aligning both product features and brand storytelling to those outcomes, your marketing will feel more relevant and resonate on a deeper level with consumers.

From product-market fit to brand purpose

Ultimately, the JTBD framework for brand teams helps companies not only think about what they’re selling, but why consumers care – and how the brand fits into their lives holistically. It’s a bridge between insights and action, helping teams go from abstract trends to concrete product and marketing moves.

If your team is new to the Jobs to Be Done approach, it can feel like a shift from traditional consumer research. But with a few foundational steps, you can start uncovering the meaningful consumer insights JTBD is known for – and apply them across functions like innovation, packaging, and marketing.

Start by shifting your mindset

JTBD isn’t about segmenting consumers or measuring attitudes. It’s about understanding the goal behind the behavior. Instead of asking, “What do people like about our product?” ask: “What problem are they solving when they choose us?” or “What outcome are they trying to create?”

Talk to people in context

Whether through in-home interviews, shop-alongs, or digital diaries, capturing the usage context is key. Look at when, where, and why consumers use your product. What triggers the need? What emotions are present? These clues will help define the real job at stake.

Pair JTBD with other methods

For CPG teams already conducting qualitative or quantitative market research, JTBD doesn’t need to replace your current methods. Instead, use it as a layering tool. Qual can help define jobs, and quant can test how common or urgent those jobs are across your audience segments.

Make it collaborative across teams

JTBD insights become more actionable when cross-functional teams – including brand, R&D, insights, and design – explore them together. When everyone shares a common view of the consumer’s goal, it becomes easier to align on product features, claims, and brand direction.

Consider expert support

Getting to true jobs isn’t always straightforward. An experienced partner can help guide interviews, interpret nuance, and connect the dots between jobs and business strategy. Firms like SIVO Insights specialize in uncovering the human truths behind behavior and turning those into clear strategies for growth – whether you’re launching a new SKU, revisiting packaging research using JTBD, or testing a new product concept.