where did rudolph the red nosed reindeer come from

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a fictional character who was created by Robert May in 1939. May was a copywriter for Montgomery Ward, a department store chain in the United States. May created Rudolph as part of a Christmas promotion for the store, and the character quickly became popular, inspiring songs, TV specials, and even a movie. Rudolph's story is based on the idea that a misfit reindeer with a red nose is rejected by the other reindeer but eventually saves Christmas by guiding Santa's sleigh through a storm.