Beloved Products: What Toys Are Really Hired to Do
The Tale of Romeo the Porg
When we think about the objects that filled our childhoods — or the childhoods of our own children — we often remember them fondly, almost as if they had lives of their own. A battered teddy bear, a well-worn action figure, a puppet that seemed to have personality beyond its fabric and stitching.
In our family, one of those beloved companions is Romeo, a puppet that looks like one of the wide-eyed, penguin-like Porgs from Star Wars. My oldest daughter, Katie, spotted him in one of those immersive Star Wars shops at Hollywood Studios, deep in the heart of Walt Disney World. If you’ve been, you know the feeling: you’re no longer just in a store — you’re in a galaxy far, far away
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Katie had to have him. But I made her wait, thinking (perhaps naively) that the spell might wear off by the end of the day. It didn’t. And so, later that evening, we returned to the store and brought Romeo into our lives.
From that point on, Romeo was more than a souvenir. He became part of the family — coming along on road trips, vacations, even camping adventures. Both Katie and her younger sister, Noelle, took turns loving him. There was even a moment of high drama: Noelle decided that Romeo’s feathers could use some styling help and applied hairspray — let’s just say his texture was never quite the same after that.
But here’s what I’ve come to realize: Romeo wasn’t just a toy. He was performing jobs for us — jobs that, at the time, I didn’t consciously think about.
The Jobs Romeo Performed for Me (the Parent)
From The Jobs-to-be-Done Pyramid™ Method:
👉 Product Jobs
Help my daughter select a souvenir
Purchase the toy
Transport the toy back to the hotel
👉 Core Jobs
Keep my child entertained
Provide a memorable experience for my child
Ensure that the vacation would be remembered
👉 Role Identity Jobs
Be a good father
👉 Image Identity Jobs
See myself as kind
See myself as thoughtful
👉 Emotional Jobs
Feel happy knowing my daughter is happy
Feel good about my purchase
Avoid buyer’s remorse
The Jobs Romeo Performed for Katie
From The Jobs-to-be-Done Pyramid™ Method:
👉 Product Jobs
Carry Romeo during outings
Bring Romeo along for car rides and vacations
Play with Romeo (pretend flying, talking)
Keep Romeo nearby at bedtime
👉 Core Jobs
Entertain herself during trips
Spark imagination through play
Create stories and adventures
Bring comfort in unfamiliar places
👉 Role Identity Jobs
Be someone who cares for a small creature
Be someone who creates adventures
Be someone who expresses creativity
👉 Image Identity Jobs
See herself as imaginative
See herself as kind and nurturing
👉 Emotional Jobs
Feel comforted and safe
Feel joy during play
Feel proud of having chosen Romeo
Avoid feeling lonely during travel
Why the Job Executor Matters
One of the most powerful parts of this way of thinking is realizing how important the job executor is — the person (or even group) performing the job.
When I am the job executor, Romeo’s jobs revolve around me as a parent: making a good purchase, creating a magical vacation moment, living into the identity of a good dad.
When Katie is the job executor, Romeo’s jobs shift entirely: helping her create adventures, express creativity, feel comforted, or care for something of her own.
If we only saw ourselves as being in the “toy business” or the “theme park business,” we might miss this nuance. We might focus only on what Romeo is (a toy, a souvenir) instead of what Romeo does for each person involved.
👉 That’s the magic of a Jobs-to-be-Done mindset — and why having a clear map of job executors and their jobs can reveal opportunities we might otherwise miss.
The Pyramid Behind the Curtain
When I reflect on Romeo and his role in our family, I realize how much complexity and meaning can be hidden in something as simple as a toy. There’s a structure — a map of sorts — that helps make sense of it all. A way to see the layers of function, identity, and emotion that guide our choices.
But let me ask you:
👉 What jobs did your favorite childhood toy help you accomplish?
Maybe it was a doll that made you feel brave. A model train that made you feel like a creator. A stuffed animal that offered comfort when you needed it most.
Next time you think back on a treasured toy — or next time you find yourself buying one for someone you love — pause for a moment. What job is it really hired to do?
P.S. There’s a fascinating way to explore this kind of thinking — an approach that helps decode these hidden layers of motivation. If you’re curious, click here.