More than coffee: How experiential marketing shapes customer satisfaction among Malaysian university students

Abstract

Experiential marketing has become increasingly important in shaping consumer evaluations within competitive food and beverage markets. In Malaysia, the rapid growth of local premium coffee brands has intensified competition, encouraging café operators to create memorable experiences that extend beyond functional product attributes. Despite its growing importance, empirical evidence on how experiential dimensions influence customer satisfaction among young Malaysian consumers remains limited. This study examines the effects of sensory experience, affective experience, and intellectual experience on customer satisfaction among university students within the Malaysian premium coffee shop context. A quantitative research design was employed using a structured questionnaire administered to undergraduate students from the Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). Using purposive sampling, data were collected from 300 respondents and analysed using IBM SPSS through descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The findings indicate that sensory, affective, and intellectual experiences significantly and positively influence customer satisfaction. Among these dimensions, affective experience emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by sensory and intellectual experiences. The results suggest that university students evaluate premium coffee shop experiences not only through sensory attributes but also through emotional engagement and cognitive stimulation. This study contributes to the experiential marketing literature by providing empirical evidence from the Malaysian premium coffee sector and offers practical insights for café operators seeking to enhance customer satisfaction through experience-driven strategies.