Vol. 5, No. 11, November 2024
E-ISSN: 2723 - 6692
P-ISSN: 2723 - 6595
http://jiss.publikasiindonesia.id/
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 11, November 2024 3030
Analysis of Promotion Strategies through the Addition of Play
Areas with Cats at Mostcat Cafe Batam
Sweiney, Natal Olotua Sipayung, Wahyudi Ilham, Rezki Alhamdi
Politeknik Pariwisata Batam, Indonesia
Email: Sweineyzhg@gmail.com, [email protected], [email protected], rezki.al[email protected]
Correspondence: Sweineyzhg@gmail.com*
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Promotion strategy; Mostcat
Cafe; Cafes; Cats; Animal
Cafes
Mostcat Cafe is the first cafe in Batam that integrates the concept of
direct interaction with cats. Adopting the "cat cafe" model popular
in Taiwan since 1998, this cafe offers a relaxing experience while
enjoying food and drinks, as well as the opportunity to interact with
various breeds of cats. This study aims to analyze the marketing
strategy implemented by Mostcat Cafe, including the Marketing Mix
elements: product, price, promotion, and location. The method used
is a qualitative approach with in-depth interviews and field
observations. The results showed that the addition of a play area
with cats increased customer loyalty and frequency of visits, and the
price set was in line with the experience provided. Mostcat Cafe
succeeded in creating a solution for cat owners and providing a
space for cat lovers to gather, thus strengthening the cafe's position
in the thematic culinary industry in Batam. This research is expected
to provide valuable insights for similar business owners in
developing effective marketing strategies.
Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Introduction
Mostcat Cafe is a cafe that combines the concept of a cafe with direct interaction with cats for
the first time in Batam City as well as a distinctive feature of this cafe compared to other cafes. This
concept was first introduced in Taiwan in 1998 (Sri Hariyatmi, 2022). The concept combines aspects
of relaxation and enjoyment of food or beverage consumption with the opportunity to interact with
cats, which provides added value for customers.
This cafe has an attention-grabbing innovation that uses the concept of a "cat cafe". This growth
is particularly noticeable in big cities and tourist areas, which have become centers for the emergence
of thematic cafes, including cafes that present unique concepts such as cat cafes. A thematic cafe is a
type of cafe that is designed with a specific concept or theme that is unique and interesting (Afida
Rossa, 2024). A contributing factor to the popularity of cat cafés is the constraints faced by some
urban residents regarding pet ownership, mainly due to space limitations and housing regulations
that do not allow the keeping of animals (Robinson, 2019). As such, cat cafés offer an alternative for
individuals who wish to experience the presence of a pet without having to assume the full
responsibilities of an owner, while creating a unique recreational experience.
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 11, November 2024 3031
Mostcat Cafe's cat play area is located right on the second floor, where customers can play
with a variety of cats of different breeds. According to the owner, there are 12 cats consisting of
Persian, Bengal, Main Coon, Himalayan, Munchkin and Domestic breeds. This area is specially
designed for visitors who want to interact directly with cats, whether they are well-groomed cats or
street cats that have been rescued and cared for.
This floor is also utilized as a "cat hotel", an innovative cat boarding facility. Visitors can not
only enjoy food and drinks while interacting with the friendly cats at the café, but also have the option
to drop off their own cats while traveling. What sets the cat hotel apart from other pet boarding
services is the flexibility of the rental duration, the affordable price and the fact that the boarded cat
can play with the cats at Mostcat Cafe. Cat owners can rent a room from a matter of hours to a matter
of days. This system greatly accommodates the needs of cat owners who may only require short-term
care, for example when attending events that do not allow the presence of pets. This concept not only
offers a practical solution for cat owners, but also creates a unique setting where cat lovers can gather,
share experiences, and enjoy time with their beloved pets in one location.
In this case marketing is needed to build promotions to increase the number of visitors.
Marketing itself is a social and managerial process in which individuals and groups seek to fulfill their
needs and desires through the creation and exchange of value with other parties. According to
(Masari, 2020)Marketing includes aspects such as promotion, product quality, and services offered
by a business. The main element in marketing is known as the Marketing Mix, which consists of
product, price, promotion, and location (Fakhrudin et al., 2022).
Research Methods
According to (Dr. H. Zuchri Abdussamad, S.I.K., 2021) Qualitative research is a type of research
in social science that raises natural paradigms and is principled in the theory of phenomena to
investigate social problems in an area. This research uses a qualitative approach with the Mostcat
Cafe case study. This method was chosen to gain an in-depth understanding of the perspectives and
experiences of cafe owners in developing their business. The main participant in this research is the
owner of Mostcat Cafe Batam, based on direct knowledge and experience in managing the cafe and
planning business development strategies. Data collection will be conducted through structured in-
depth interviews with cafe owners. The interview will last 60-90 minutes. In addition to interviews,
researchers will also conduct field observations at Mostcat Cafe to understand the physical context of
operations, and customer interactions. These observations will help in validating and enriching the
interview data.
Data validity will be ensured through several strategies, including triangulation of data
sources (interviews, observations, and surveys), member checking (verification of interpretations
with café owners), thick description (detailed description of the research context), and researcher
reflexivity (maintaining awareness of personal biases). The research will adhere to the ethical
principles of research, including consent from café owners, confidentiality of data, the right to
withdraw research from the study and storing data securely. Through this methodological approach,
the research aims to generate rich and contextualized insights into the analysis of promotional
strategies at Mostcat Cafe Batam, with a particular focus on the addition of a play area with cats. The
results of this study are expected to make a valuable contribution to the thematic cafe management
literature and provide practical understanding for similar business owners.
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 11, November 2024 3032
Results and Discussion
Based on researcher observations, Mostcat Cafe has implemented the Marketing Mix effectively
where each element has a major influence on consumer behavior.
 
(Kotler & Armstrong, 2018)



cat
hotel

  (Hsiang Chun-Lin, 2022)      






 
(Syarif, 2019)
                

weekdays weekends
      weekdays    weekends   

mini
cake





e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 11, November 2024 3033


 
(Tulandi, 2018)
              


             



4. (Place)
    (Syahidin, 2022)       




e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 11, November 2024 3034


The following are the results of interviews and discussions obtained by researchers from the
owner of Mostcat Cafe.
1. What prompted you to create the cat playground addition at Mostcat Cafe Batam?
As consumer interest in animal experiences increases, cat-themed cafés offer added value to
customers through unique interactive experiences. Previous research emphasizes the importance of
memorable experiences in increasing customer loyalty and encouraging repeat visits. (Darmawati,
2024). This was confirmed by an interview with the owner of MostCat Cafe, who stated that "The
motivation behind adding a play area with cats is to enhance the customer experience through direct
interaction with cats, with the hope that this move can attract more visitors, especially families with
children and cat lovers."
Customer response to the addition of the play area has also been very positive, especially among
children and cat lovers. According to the owner, customers feel more at home and enjoy spending
time at the café, leading to increased visitation time and more enthusiasm. This is in line with the
findings of (Crossman, 2020) which suggest that interaction with animals can help reduce stress levels
and improve customer mood, an important factor in the hospitality industry.
2. Is the price set by Mostcat Cafe in accordance with what customers get?
From the interviews it was also found that the play area with cats directly contributed, the
owner of the café reported, "We saw a significant increase in sales." This suggests that increased
customer interaction with the physical environment of the café has an effect on consumer behavior,
which encourages them to spend more time and money during the visit. With an increase in the
number of visitors and a longer time. "By paying an entrance ticket they can spend 1 hour playing
with the cats at Mostcat Cafe and also with each entrance ticket purchase customers get a bonus mini
cake that can be enjoyed after playing with the cats.
3. What forms of promotion have Mostcat Cafe done?
To maximize the results of this innovation, MostCat Cafe also implemented several well-
planned promotional strategies, including the use of social media, organizing themed events, and
collaborating with cat-loving communities. The owner stated that "We actively posted photos and
videos of the cats in the new play area through our Instagram and TikTok accounts, and organized
events such as cat birthdays, cat photo competitions, and cat care workshops." This proved to be
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 11, November 2024 3035
effective in increasing customer engagement and building brand awareness. Social media-based
promotions have a significant impact on customer engagement, as the visualization of interactions
with cats can attract consumer attention and expand audience reach digitally. (Prisca, 2019).
4. What are the advantages of this cafe compared to other cafes?
It is known that the increase in the number of cafes reaches 15-20% per year (Kristian, 2019).
This growth is particularly noticeable in big cities and tourist areas, which are centers for the
emergence of thematic cafés, including cafés with unique concepts such as cat cafés. This
phenomenon reflects the growing public interest in cafés that offer different and value-added
experiences, both in terms of ambience and social interaction. This approach demonstrates the café's
commitment to animal welfare, which is an important part of the success of any business that involves
interaction with animals, as outlined by (Von Essen, 2020) in their study on animal welfare-friendly
business practices.
As one of the fast-growing cities in terms of industry and tourism, Batam is also following this
trend with the emergence of various thematic cafes that try to attract consumers with innovative
concepts. One such example is Mostcat Cafe, a cafe that combines the concept of a cafe with hands-on
interaction with cats. The owner states "Since its establishment, Mostcat Cafe has strived to bring a
different experience to its patrons, by offering a cozy atmosphere while bringing an element of
happiness through interaction with cats. This sets it apart from other cafes that generally only provide
facilities to consume food and drinks.
Conclusion
Overall, the addition of a cat play area at Mostcat Cafe Batam proved to be a successful
promotional strategy through the addition of a cat play area. The findings of this study can provide
important insights for other business owners who wish to adopt a similar concept, although further
research is needed to understand the long-term impact of this strategy on business sustainability and
Mostcat Cafe has effectively implemented the Marketing Mix in each of its elements namely product,
price, promotion and location which are arranged in a structured and clear manner.
It is hoped that Mostcat Cafe can provide package offers to consumers that include entrance
tickets and food at promotional prices that can be given at certain hours so as to attract customers to
visit. From the location aspect, it can be done by opening branches in other areas that can expand
consumer reach, while in terms of products Mostcat Cafe can increase the variety of services by
creating more interactive play facilities for visitors, especially play areas for children such as cat care
classes and creative workshops to educate children about responsibility in caring for cats.
Future researchers can discuss several aspects to deepen understanding of the comparative
study of Mostcat Cafe's promotional strategies with similar cafes in other cities so as to see differences
in strategies and consumer references in various locations, analyze the long-term impact of adding a
play area with cats on customer loyalty which can help assess the effectiveness of the strategy. It is
hoped that these suggestions can provide insights for the development of a more effective and
sustainable thematic cafe business.
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Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 11, November 2024 3036
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           
tourism. Animals, 10(10), 117. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101830