Early childhood nutrition leader Gerber announced a charming new face and the winning entry of the seventh annual Gerber Baby Photo Search 2016 – baby Riley from Lewis Center.
The submission featuring the precious 7-month-old was selected by a panel of judges as the Grand Prize winning entry from more than 110,000 entries.
“Originally, my husband laughed at me for entering the contest because there were so many submissions. Now, we have the opportunity to start a college fund for our beautiful baby boy,” said Riley’s mom, Kristen Shines.
Riley’s parents will receive $50,000, plus $1,500 in Gerber Childrenswear and the opportunity for Riley to star in a future Gerber advertisement as the 2017 Spokesbaby.
“Riley brings such joy to our family with his infectious laugh and big, gummy smile, and we can’t wait to share that joy with the rest of the world. We are truly honored to be joining the Gerber family,” Kristen said.
The annual Gerber Baby Photo Search pays homage to Ann Turner Cook, whose face has been featured as the iconic charcoal-sketched logo on Gerber’s packaging since 1928, and who just recently celebrated her 90th birthday.
This year’s Photo Search was held online at Gerber.com/photosearch, where parents and guardians were invited to enter a photo of their child into the search during the entry period. A panel of judges reviewed the entries to find children from birth to preschool age whose photos displayed expressiveness and consistency with Gerber’s heritage.
Since the inception of Photo Search seven years ago, Gerber has awarded eight (twins in 2013) tiny tots the Photo Search crown. Last year’s winner, Isla, captured the nation’s heart with her adorable smile.
“Gerber recognizes that every baby is a Gerber baby, and every year we are eager to find a new little one through our Photo Search to represent our brand,” said Robyn Fitter, Senior Promotions Marketing Manager at Gerber. “This year, the judges loved Riley’s expression and how well he captured their attention through a simple photograph. We are all thrilled to name Riley as our 2017 Spokesbaby.”
