The Multi-sensory Marketing Effect on Buying Intention of PT Sari Coffee Indonesia (Starbucks Indonesia) in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era
Salman Al Farizi, Fitri Aprilianty*

School of Business and Management, Institut Teknologi Bandung
Jl. Ganesa No.10, Lb. Siliwangi, Coblong, Bandung City, Jawa Barat 40132, Indonesia
*Corresponding author. Email: fitri.aprilianty[at]sbm-itb.ac.id

Abstract

The coffee industry is growing rapidly in Indonesia, which prompts the presence of coffee shops or café brands, one of which is Starbucks Indonesia. A multi-sensory marketing strategy has been implemented as a strategy to improve customer perception and customer behaviour as well as sales. However, the large-scale social restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have limited the implementation of multi-sensory marketing at Starbucks Indonesia café. This paper aims to investigate the implementation of multi-sensory marketing and to test the effect of multi-sensory marketing on the buying intention of Starbucks Indonesia in the COVID-19 pandemic era. The authors conducted the research methodology in qualitative and quantitative approaches. The authors conducted an interview, netnography, and observation as a qualitative approach for data collection, as well as a survey of 200 respondents as a quantitative approach. For data analysis, open coding and triangulation validation were used for the qualitative approach, and PLS-SEM and correlation analysis were conducted for the quantitative approach. The results reveal positive relationships between multi-sensory marketing and buying intention, with brand experience as a major role mediator. Furthermore, 6 paths of the customer journey are formed that mediate multi-sensory marketing to buying intention. This research contributes to neuromarketing and customer research by providing empirical evidence for the importance of multi-sensory marketing to customer buying intention. The results give valuable insights into the effectiveness of multi-sensory marketing in generating memorable brand experiences that impact brand performance in the COVID-19 pandemic era. Furthermore, the findings add to our understanding of how multi-sensory marketing has affected the Indonesian café market.

Keywords: Brand Experience, Brand Image, Brand Loyalty, Brand Satisfaction, Buying Intention, COVID-19, Multi-sensory Marketing, Price Premium, Starbucks Indonesia.

Topic: Marketing Management