<![CDATA[The increasing competition in the café industry requires business owners to build customer loyalty through memorable experiences and values that align with customer identity. The research gap in this study is that previous studies still show mixed results regarding the influence of experiential marketing on customer loyalty, while the role of customer engagement as a mediating variable is still limited. This study aims to analyze the role of customer engagement in mediating the relationship between experiential marketing and self-expression value on café customer loyalty in Jambi City. The study used a quantitative approach with the SEM-PLS method using SmartPLS 3.0. The research sample consisted of 147 respondents selected through a purposive sampling technique with the criteria of customers who have made at least two purchases. The results showed that Experiential Marketing and Self-Expression Value have a positive effect on Customer Engagement. Furthermore, Self-Expression Value and Customer Engagement were proven to have a positive effect on customer loyalty, while Experiential Marketing did not have a direct effect on customer loyalty. The mediation test showed that Customer Engagement was able to mediate the relationship between Experiential Marketing and customer loyalty, but was unable to mediate the relationship between Self-Expression Value and customer loyalty. This (novelty) finding suggests that café customer loyalty is formed through different mechanisms between customer experience and self-expression values.]]>
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