The Role of Emotional Branding in Creating Memorable Customer Experiences: A Case Study of Local Coffee Startups TUKU

Abstract

In hyper-saturated markets like the Food and Beverage (F&B) sector, conventional marketing mix strategies often fail to secure sustainable growth for early-stage entrepreneurial ventures. This study explores alternative marketing paradigms by investigating the structural role of emotional branding in creating memorable customer experiences (MCE) for youth startups expanding into regional economies. Utilizing an exploratory qualitative single-case study design, this research examines the market dynamics of Toko Kopi Tuku (TUKU) in Semarang, Central Java—a city characterized by rational consumer behaviors and deep-rooted local coffee traditions. Data was gathered through direct field observations, digital archive analysis, and in-depth semi-structured interviews with both internal management and high-frequency consumers selected via purposive sampling. The thematic analysis reveals that TUKU’s standardized tetangga (neighbor) narrative systematically humanizes the corporate identity by replacing rigid, transactional service with organic hospitality. This emotional position triggers intense sensory and affective impressions among regional consumers, transforming a simple purchasing routine into a memorable, culturally nostalgic ritual. Consequently, this emotional equity fosters high brand stickiness, generates organic word-of-mouth advocacy, and builds a powerful resilience against competitor price-cutting tactics. This study contributes to entrepreneurship literature by offering an empirical model of how capital-constrained startups can scale localized emotional strategies during geographic relocation. For student entrepreneurs, the findings provide a practical playbook on leveraging psychological and socio-cultural equity to bypass capital-intensive price wars and secure long-term customer lifetime value in competitive landscapes.