The surprisingly corporate retail origin story behind ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’

A copywriter for the department store chain Montgomery Ward dreamed of writing the great American novel. During a moment of personal anguish, he ended up birthing an iconic Christmas character.

Thanks to a many versions of books, a catchy Christmas song, multiple TV specials, and countless products, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer certainly is the most famous reindeer of all.