Let's cut through the marketing fluff and face facts: Kiwi customers don't care about your product features nearly as much as you think.
They don't wake up dreaming about your patented technology. They don't lie awake at night thinking about your premium materials and they definitely don't share your "innovative solution" with their mates over a beer (usually).
What they do care about is getting specific jobs done in their lives.
Jobs-to-be-Done: The Framework That's Revolutionising Kiwi Marketing
I've watched countless NZ businesses pour money into marketing that talks endlessly about what they do, while completely missing why people buy.
Here's the fundamental shift: People don't buy products. They hire them to do specific jobs in their lives.
This isn't abstract theory – it's the difference between marketing that connects and marketing that gets ignored.
What "Jobs" Really Means for Kiwi Businesses
Let's make this concrete with some classic Kiwi examples:
Swanndri
Traditional marketing: "Our wool is water-resistant and durable."JTBD reality: Farmers hire Swanndri to "keep me comfortable in unpredictable conditions without having to think about it" and "signal that I'm a practical, no-nonsense Kiwi."
Whittaker's
Traditional marketing: "Premium chocolate made with the finest cocoa beans."JTBD reality: Customers hire Whittaker's to "turn an ordinary moment into something special" and "show I care enough to buy the good stuff, not the cheap chocolate."
Air New Zealand
Traditional marketing: "Award-winning service and global connectivity."JTBD reality: Travelers hire Air New Zealand to "feel like my journey starts the moment I board, not just when I land" and "represent New Zealand's values when I'm traveling internationally."
See the difference? One approach describes products. The other describes human motivations – the real reason people reach for their wallets.
The Three Levels of Jobs Kiwi Customers Need Done
To truly understand why Kiwis buy, we need to dig deeper into the types of jobs they're hiring products to do:
1. Functional Jobs
These are the practical tasks customers need to accomplish:
- Keep my family dry during a Wellington downpour
- Maintain my garden with minimal effort
- Get from Auckland to Queenstown efficiently
2. Emotional Jobs
These are the feelings customers want to experience:
- Feel like a legitimate outdoor enthusiast, not just a weekend warrior
- Experience the satisfaction of supporting local businesses
- Enjoy peace of mind knowing I've made a sustainable choice
3. Social Jobs
These are about how customers want to be perceived:
- Be seen as someone who values quality over price
- Signal my connection to New Zealand's outdoor culture
- Demonstrate my commitment to supporting local
Most Kiwi businesses focus almost exclusively on functional jobs while underestimating the emotional and social dimensions that often drive purchase decisions.
How JTBD Is Transforming Storytelling for NZ Brands
When you understand the jobs your customers are hiring your products to do, your storytelling fundamentally changes.
From Generic to Deeply Relevant
Kathmandu could talk about waterproof ratings and zipper quality (yawn). Or they could tell stories about how their gear lets urban professionals disconnect from digital overload and reconnect with New Zealand's natural heritage – addressing the real emotional job their products are hired to do.
From Features to Transformation
A local accounting software company could list all its features and integrations. Or it could show how it transforms the business owner's relationship with financial admin – from dreaded chore to simple task that gives them confidence and control.
From Product-Focused to Customer-Focused
Whittaker's doesn't just talk about chocolate ingredients. They tell stories about moments of connection between Kiwis – the shared experience of breaking a slab with friends or family – because they understand they're hired for more than just flavour.
How to Apply JTBD to Your Marketing Today
1. Start with Customer Conversations
The most valuable insights come from talking to real customers – not about what features they like, but about what motivated their purchase:
- What situation were you in when you decided you needed this product?
- What solutions did you try before this one?
- What would you have done if our product wasn't available?
These questions reveal the real jobs customers are hiring your product to do.
2. Map the Competition Through the JTBD Lens
Your real competitors aren't just businesses selling similar products – they're anything customers might hire to do the same job.
A craft brewery's competition isn't just other craft beers. It's anything that might be hired for the jobs of "help me relax after work" or "give me something interesting to share with friends" – which could include premium non-alcoholic options, unique experiences, or even streaming services.
3. Restructure Your Content Around Jobs
Review your website, social content, and advertising. Are they structured around product categories and features? Or do they address the specific jobs customers hire you to do?
Instead of organising by product type, try organising by customer need:
- "Working in unpredictable weather"
- "Impressing dinner guests"
- "Finding unique gifts for impossible-to-buy-for people"
The Future of JTBD for Kiwi Brands
Looking ahead, the brands that will dominate in New Zealand are those that deeply understand the evolving jobs their customers need done.
Hyper-Personalisation Through Job Detection
Soon, the most sophisticated brands will be able to detect which job a customer is trying to accomplish in real-time, adapting their messaging accordingly.
Imagine a clothing retailer that can tell if you're shopping for "something comfortable for working from home" versus "something to impress at an important meeting" – and adjusts its recommendations and messaging to match.
Community Building Around Shared Jobs
Smart brands are creating communities not just around their products, but around the jobs those products help accomplish.
A gardening supplier could build a community not of "people who buy our seeds" but of "Kiwis creating sustainable food gardens in urban spaces" – connecting customers through their shared goals rather than just shared purchases.
Cross-Industry Innovation Through Job Insights
Understanding jobs opens opportunities to solve customer problems in entirely new ways.
A roofing company that realises its customers are hiring it for "peace of mind during extreme weather" might expand into emergency preparedness services – a completely different category that addresses the same fundamental job.
The Hard Truth About JTBD
Implementing JTBD isn't easy. It requires:
- Genuine curiosity about your customers' lives
- Willingness to look beyond product features
- Courage to restructure your marketing around jobs, not products
But the payoff is enormous: marketing that genuinely resonates, products that truly solve problems, and customer loyalty based on deep understanding.
The Last Word: From Products to Progress
When you shift from selling products to helping customers make progress in their lives, everything changes.
Your marketing becomes more compelling.Your product development becomes more focused.Your customer relationships become more meaningful.
In a crowded market where most Kiwi businesses sound the same, understanding the real jobs your customers are hiring you to do isn't just good marketing theory – it's your most powerful competitive advantage.
The brands that will thrive in New Zealand's future aren't those with the flashiest features or the biggest marketing budgets. They're the ones that understand exactly which jobs their customers need done – and deliver on them better than anyone else.
So ask yourself: What progress are your customers really trying to make in their lives? And how can you help them get there?
That's where your real story begins.
