when was rudolph the red-nosed reindeer song written

The "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" song was first published in 1949 by the Montgomery Ward department store as a promotional campaign for the store's Christmas season. The song was written by Johnny Marks, and the lyrics and music were based on a poem written by Robert L. May. The song was originally intended to be a simple jingle to promote Montgomery Ward's holiday merchandise, but it quickly gained popularity and became a Christmas classic.