How Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Became Every Marketer’s Dream
Robert May’s Iconic Creation
I was six years old when the movie version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer premiered on NBC in 1964. Maybe it’s because I was at the perfect age, but I fell in love with Rudolph and sympathized with Hermey, the poor elf who really wanted to be a dentist. (Looking back, I think now I identified with Hermey because of the uncontrollable big blonde swoop of his bangs, similar to my own.)
But almost fifty years later, as an adult copywriter, writer, and marketer, I have a new appreciation for the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer because it’s an awesome tale of persistence, creative work, and principles of marketing.
How a copywriter and employee gave birth to a reindeer
Robert May was a 1926 graduate of Dartmouth College who did several stints around the country, including working as an ad writer for Gimbels and Macy’s in New York City. In 1936, he was offered a job with Montgomery Ward in Chicago, and he picked up his family and moved.
