Demographic segmentation has long been a standard method in CPG market research. It involves grouping consumers based on basic characteristics: age, income, gender, education level, geography, and other static traits. At a glance, these categories seem useful – after all, knowing you're selling to 'millennial moms' or 'retired males in urban areas' provides a starting point. But when it comes to truly understanding consumer behavior, this method often misses the mark.

Demographics describe who people are, not what they actually want

The main limitation of demographic segmentation is that it assumes people within a demographic group act the same way. But real-world purchasing behavior is rarely that predictable. A 30-year-old woman in New York City and a 30-year-old woman in rural Kansas might share a demographic profile, but their needs, values, and shopping choices can be wildly different.

In the CPG world, where decisions often happen quickly and are shaped heavily by context, these traditional categories rarely explain the 'why' behind a purchase. Two people of completely different backgrounds might buy the same product for the exact same reason – and that shared motivation is where the real insight lies.

When demographic data leads to missed opportunities

Suppose you're marketing a new protein snack. Demographics might suggest aiming for fitness-focused men aged 25–34. But what if busy parents, seniors looking for easy nutrition, or even teens seeking convenience snacks are buying it for different “jobs”? Relying exclusively on age or lifestyle categories can blind you to surprising pockets of demand.

Key issues with demographic segmentation in CPG:

• Overgeneralization – It treats all members of a group as if they behave the same way.
• Limited predictability – Knowing someone’s age rarely tells you why they chose Brand A over Brand B.
• Missed innovation opportunities – Potential consumer segments based on shared needs get overlooked.

Demographics still have their place, especially in sizing markets or guiding media buys, but for uncovering the true motivations that shape consumer decisions in CPG, they’re only part of the story – and not the most important part.

The Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework is a way of thinking about consumer behavior that starts with one essential question: What is the customer trying to get done when they buy this product? Instead of grouping people based on who they are, JTBD explores what people are trying to achieve in specific situations. These “jobs” can be functional, emotional, or social – and often involve progress someone wants to make in their life.

For example, someone buying a ready-to-eat salad isn’t just looking for food. They might be trying to save time during a busy workday, maintain a healthy lifestyle, or avoid having to cook. These are all very different “jobs” that can apply to different types of people in various contexts. Understanding these motivations – rather than demographics – helps CPG brands design better solutions and communications that resonate more deeply.

How JTBD works in CPG research

In consumer research for packaged goods, Jobs To Be Done offers a practical lens for uncovering the real-world drivers behind product decisions. It focuses on:

• Context – What was happening when the consumer needed this solution?
• Desired outcome – What was the person hoping to achieve?
• Obstacles – What was getting in the way of completing the job?

These questions go beyond “who” and dig into what matters most: the situation and motivation. For example, a CPG researcher might uncover that both a college student and a working parent choose the same energy bar not because of who they are demographically, but because they both need a quick breakfast they can eat without stopping. That’s a shared job, and understanding it can influence product development and marketing direction in powerful ways.

Why JTBD is especially useful for packaged goods

Consumers make thousands of split-second CPG choices every month – grabbing a drink during a commute, picking a cereal their kids won’t refuse, or shopping late at night after a long shift. These are moments defined by needs, not demographic labels. The JTBD framework captures those moments with clarity.

JTBD helps CPG brands by:

• Revealing unmet consumer needs across varied audiences
• Improving product positioning, messaging, and experience design
• Driving innovation ideas rooted in real behavior

Understanding consumer behavior in CPG isn’t just about who buys. It’s about why they buy, when they buy, and what’s motivating them. By focusing on the underlying jobs, brands gain clearer, more actionable insights that can lead to better business decisions – from product development to marketing strategy.

In the next sections, we’ll compare JTBD and demographics directly and explore how you can start using the jobs to be done framework in CPG innovation and research.

At its core, the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework is designed to uncover the 'why' behind consumer actions. In consumer packaged goods (CPG) research, this approach shifts the focus from who a person is – as defined by demographics – to what they are trying to accomplish in a given moment. This shift can lead to richer, more actionable consumer insights.

Traditional market segmentation often classifies people by age, gender, income, or location. These categories can be helpful for media targeting or general profiling but fall short in explaining actual purchase behavior. JTBD, on the other hand, looks at the context and motivation. It asks, what is the 'job' a customer is hiring this product to do?

What Drives a Purchase Decision?

Real-world decisions are complex. A consumer may choose a ready-to-eat soup not because they are 35 and employed, but because they are pressed for time, skipped lunch, and need something comforting after a long day. That’s a job: 'Help me feel full and cared for when I’m mentally drained.'

This level of insight moves beyond surface-level data to reveal:

• The circumstances in which a product is used (time of day, emotional state, urgency, etc.)
• Pain points the consumer is trying to solve (hunger, convenience, mood shifts)
• Desired outcomes (quick relief, better meal routines, more energy)

Understanding consumer behavior through JTBD unlocks opportunity: it allows brands to tailor messaging, product positioning, and innovation to the needs consumers are expressing through their actions, not their demographic boxes.

JTBD Strengthens Product Innovation

In leading-edge CPG trends, brands are moving toward needs-based innovation. By identifying the jobs behind purchase drivers, companies can design products around unmet needs or moments of friction in a consumer’s journey. Whether it’s developing a snack that solves the mid-meeting craving or a beverage that helps users feel balanced post-workout, the JTBD framework directly informs product development.

By embracing JTBD, CPG businesses can move from generic assumptions to human-centered, purpose-led solutions.

To better understand the power of the Jobs To Be Done framework in CPG, it helps to compare it directly with demographic-based strategies. Below are simple, case examples that illustrate how JTBD leads to deeper consumer insights and more targeted strategies than demographics alone.

Traditional Demographic Approach

Let’s say you’re launching a new protein bar. Using demographics, your strategy might look like this:

• Primary Target: Males, 25–40
• Secondary Target: Fitness enthusiasts earning $50K+
• Marketing Message: "High protein. Fuel for performance."

While this might align with some users of the product, it doesn’t explain why they would reach for a bar at a particular time or what need it fulfills in their daily lives.

Jobs To Be Done Approach

Now, apply JTBD thinking to the same product:

• Job #1: “Help me stay focused when I don’t have time for a full meal.” (e.g., a working parent between meetings)
• Job #2: “Give me something to curb cravings that won’t derail my diet.” (e.g., a young adult trying to maintain health)
• Job #3: “Support my recovery after a morning workout.” (e.g., weekend gym-goers across various ages)

Each “job” cuts across gender, age, and income, focusing instead on circumstance and need. When you build a CPG strategy around these motivations, you create more relevant marketing campaigns and more meaningful innovations.

JTBD Helps You Find Overlooked Markets

Using demographics vs Jobs To Be Done often leads companies to miss entire groups who share similar needs. One person’s 'on-the-go breakfast substitute' might be another’s 'post-kid-drop-off energy fix.' These segments may not look alike demographically, but their needs – or jobs – are surprisingly aligned.

This makes market segmentation strategies in CPG more inclusive and dynamic. Instead of assuming who needs your product, you uncover why they need it – which is often the key to broader and more loyal customer bases.

Knowing when to apply the JTBD framework in your CPG research process can significantly enhance how your team understands consumer behavior and identifies growth opportunities. While JTBD isn’t designed to replace every research method, it's an especially powerful tool in certain stages of product and marketing development.

Use JTBD When You're:

1. Developing New Products: JTBD helps you uncover unmet needs by framing decisions around the functional and emotional jobs consumers are trying to solve. This results in product innovation that’s anchored in real-life context, not abstract personas.

2. Exploring New Market Segments: Rather than entering a market based on broad demographic assumptions, JTBD reveals shared behaviors and motivations that may span across ages, genders, and lifestyles – helping refine your market segmentation approach.

3. Repositioning Existing Brands: When a product stagnates, using JTBD can breathe new life by redefining the consumer’s relationship with it. You may find customers are hiring the product for jobs you had not considered, offering new angles for messaging or packaging.

4. Enhancing Consumer Journeys: JTBD fits well into qualitative and ethnographic research phases, where it’s crucial to understand shopping missions, usage contexts, and emotional drivers.

Pair JTBD With Other Research Tools

At SIVO, we recommend integrating JTBD into a broader toolkit that includes traditional consumer research and quantitative testing. JTBD works best when paired with data that validates job types by size and demand across a population. For example, use surveys to validate how many consumers share a certain job or what unmet needs are most pressing.

JTBD isn’t just a method – it’s a mindset. It keeps your focus squarely on consumer needs, helping you see their world through a more functional, emotional, and aspirational lens. This approach is particularly valuable in a fast-evolving CPG landscape where new categories, channels, and needs emerge rapidly.

When used strategically, JTBD can become a cornerstone of effective CPG market research methods – leading to products that solve real problems and messaging that resonates where it matters most.