The Creativity Paradox
The Hidden Job — What others missed
A major brand was stuck thinking creativity meant "artistic expression." Their research showed teens wanted "creative tools" but couldn't explain why engagement stayed flat. The real job wasn't about making art—it was about becoming the person they wanted to be.
Our Method — How we found it
We reanalyzed their existing open-ended responses using Jobs-to-be-Done clustering. Instead of categorizing by "creativity types," we looked for identity language: "helps me show," "lets me express," "makes me feel." The pattern was clear: creativity was the vehicle, identity was the destination.
The Unlock — What it enabled
Three positioning territories emerged, shifting from "unleash your creativity" to "become who you're meant to be." Creative testing showed 40% higher intent. The brand finally understood they weren't selling tools—they were selling transformation.
Higher Intent
in creative testing
Sales Increase
in first quarter
Beyond the Scent
The Hidden Job — What others missed
A CPG brand had 50 hours of premium experience interviews—chocolatiers, nail salons, essential oils. Their team focused on sensory details: textures, aromas, environments. They missed the real job: permission to pause.
Our Method — How we found it
We used AI-powered topic segmentation on their existing transcripts, but ignored product features. Instead, we mapped emotional language and temporal references. The insight emerged: pampering wasn't about luxury—it was about sanctioned self-focus in a guilt-driven culture.
The Unlock — What it enabled
Language strategy shifted from "indulgent scents" to "your moment, your way." The rebrand launched with permission-based messaging. Sales increased 23% in the first quarter because they finally understood the guilt-relief job their product was hired to do.
The App Paradox
The Hidden Job — What others missed
Teen app usage data showed confusing patterns. High downloads, low retention. Exit interviews mentioned "too many features" but usage data showed feature engagement was strong. The real job wasn't about features—it was about social proof without social risk.
Our Method — How we found it
We combined their MaxDiff survey data with open-ended responses about "most/least liked jobs." AI-assisted rapid concept testing revealed teens hired apps not for functionality, but for plausible deniability—ways to engage socially while maintaining escape routes.
The Unlock — What it enabled
Product roadmap pivoted from "more social features" to "safe social features." Anonymous modes, delayed posting, private practice spaces. User retention improved 35% because they finally built for the real job: confidence-building with training wheels.
Retention Improvement
after roadmap pivot
The million-dollar insights were already in your data.
We just knew where to look.