Promotional Lessons from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Christmas Special

My absolute favorite Christmas special is the Rankin/Bass stop motion animation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Watch it every year. In fact, I’ve been watching it every year since the very first telecast. Know I’m showing my age here, but I remember watching it that first year on a big, honkin’ black and white TV with my dad. The Abominable Snowman was pretty scary back then, but glad Yukon Cornelius “reformed” him.

Click to See the Original Rudolph Christmas Special Credits on YouTube

One of the most adorable segments of the special is the Island of Misfit Toys. Kind of like a benevolent landfill for toys that no one plays with. As I think about that segment, it has some lessons for promotional product buying:

One Man’s Misfit is Another Man’s Magic – I always thought the unique and slightly off Misfit Toys were kind of cool. I’m sure I’m not alone. Anyway, an imperfect promotion for one group, may be perfect for another. All depends on the audience and purpose (you knew I had to get that in somewhere).
You Might Need Some Help – Enter Santa and the Island of Misfit Toys’ King Moonraiser. Moonraiser’s got the goods, but Santa needs to match ‘em up with the right kids. Maybe you need a promotional products or marketing advisor to match up your products and promotions with the right audience. Get partners who can help you achieve your goals.

And the promotional and partnering lessons continue from this Christmas classic. Take a look at these original 1964 ads and promos supporting the special. Oh man, can’t imagine sportin’ a hair dryer like that! And not too sure hubby would appreciate the electric knife as suggested. But do notice how GE completely integrated the special they sponsored into their advertising. Lesson to content creators and sponsors: Look for ways to integrate marketing efforts to benefit both.