Last night’s Red Sox game marked the 500th consecutive sellout at Fenway – continuing a league record the Sox set in 2008. As a gesture of gratitude to the fans, the Red Sox bestowed gifts upon fans in  sections of the park throughout the game. Fans received gift certificates for gas, coffee, pizza and various other items provided by Sox sponsors. But perhaps the most visible gift of the evening was one that proved an unexpected hit among fans – tape measures. Bright yellow, 25′ Stanley Fat Max tape measures were handed out to an entire section of the park. The results were unique, fun and, perhaps much to the surprise of Stanley Tools, received some serious television air time during the game and in post-game coverage.

Fans immediately began stretching the wide yellow tape measures out as high as they could (which was pretty high in some cases), and the results were visible throughout the park and became the immediate focus of television cameras.

It’s worth noting that, aside from being aimed at a core demo of men 25-54, the unique selling point of the Fat Max is that its width allows extension of the tape further than standard tape measures. Even if tape measures have little to do with baseball, this was a perfect demonstration of the product to the perfect target, with impressions propelled through mass media. Luck or marketing genius?  Whichever,  the desired effect was achieved. Never underestimate the power of human ingenuity.