12/23/2025
The success story of Rudolf, The Red Nose Reindeer, by R. May
The story of Rudolph is more than just a Christmas tale; it’s a story of personal resilience and one of the most successful marketing campaigns in history.
The Origin: A Department Store Assignment
In 1939, Robert L. May was a 34-year-old copywriter for the Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago. Every year, the store bought and gave away coloring books to children during the holidays. To save money, they decided to create their own character and asked May to write a story for a new booklet.
The Inspiration: Turning Pain into Magic
May’s life at the time was difficult. His wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer, and he was struggling to support his young daughter, Barbara.
• The “Ugly Duckling” Parallel: May drew inspiration from his own childhood. He had been a small, shy boy who was often bullied, and he wanted to write a story about an underdog who triumphs.
• The Name: He considered “Rollo” (too happy) and “Reginald” (too British) before settling on Rudolph.
• The Nose: The idea for the glowing nose came to him while looking out of his office window at a thick fog rolling off Lake Michigan. He realized that a beacon of light would be the perfect way for Santa to navigate.
Note: Initially, May’s boss was hesitant about a “red nose” because, at the time, it was a common trope for alcoholism. May had to have a friend from the art department sketch a “cute” version of the reindeer to prove it would be a hit with kids.
How He Became Famous
Rudolph didn’t become a global icon until several years after the booklet was released:
• The Copyright Gift: In a rare act of corporate generosity, the president of Montgomery Ward gave the copyright for Rudolph back to Robert May in 1947. This allowed May, who was in deep medical debt, to finally profit from his creation.
• The Song (1949): May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, wrote the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” It was recorded by Gene Autry and became one of the best-selling singles of all time.
• The Movie (1964): The Rankin/Bass stop-motion special turned Rudolph into a permanent fixture of pop culture, introducing the lore we know today
