Gerber Baby has been available in American markets for as long as baby food has been offered.
For over a century, the cheeky, cherubic face has smiled at customers with large, blue eyes, reassuring them that the product’s components are ideal for their closest loved ones.
Every parent who has ever raised a child is familiar with the Gerber food empire.
This iconic face, however, was not the invention of a marketing whiz nor the product of a skilled graphic designer. In actuality, the blushing beauty is a real-life individual. This is the story of the most famous infant in the United States.
In 1928, Gerber decided to hold a contest and invited artists to submit their work. For the label of their new baby food product, they were searching for just the right baby face to display.
Numerous applications were received, including three completed oil paintings. When it came time for voting, they decided to go with a charcoal sketch that was still unfinished.
Dorothy Hope Smith was chosen as the winner, and she planned to complete the now-famous sketch she had sent as a sample.
The executives of Gerber, on the other hand, were adamant about keeping things as they were. According to Gerber’s North American Vice President, David Yates, “Our identity is encapsulated in our logo.
It symbolizes the trust we have with parents and the joy of a happy, healthy infant. Our business relies on it to a great extent.”
In 1931, Gerber trademarked the sketch and it is still on display at the company’s headquarters today.
How Many Gerber Babies Have There Been?
There has been only one Gerber Baby (Ann Cook) who has represented the Gerber products all these years. In the past decade, the number of submissions has likewise fluctuated significantly, from 110,000 in 2017 to 544,000 in 2019.
