For a decade, Gerber has conducted an annual photo search contest to find its next Gerber Baby. Last year’s winner, broke a big barrier by becoming the first Gerber Baby with Down syndrome. And in 2020, 1-year-old Magnolia made history in another unique way.
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By being named the 2020 Gerber Baby, she became the first adopted baby to win earn the coveted title.
She faced huge odds at winning the contest considering 327,000 entries were submitted to the company’s 10th annual photo search. However, the campaign spans back nearly 100 years when Ann Turner Cook became the first-ever Gerber Baby in 1928.
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It certainly represented a fantastic turnout for the Earl family, who adopted Magnolia a year ago. Her mom, Courtney, explained how the life-changing phone call went down.
Courtney shared in the press release:
“On May 9th, 2019 we received a call from the Adoption Agency that there was an expectant mom that was in labor and wanted to talk to us.
We pulled off the highway, got a chance to connect with her amazing birth parents, and a few hours later, this sweet baby girl was born.”
The family still stays in contact with their daughter’s biological parents, which isn’t always the case for adopted children. Winning the photo contest represents a huge milestone for babies around the world. Promoting inclusion and diversity certainly seem important to Gerber.
The company said in a statement to TODAY:
“At Gerber, we have always recognized that every baby is a Gerber baby.
In the 10 years we have hosted Photo Search, we have been proud to feature babies of diverse backgrounds. This year is no exception by featuring Magnolia, our first adopted Gerber Spokesbaby.”
Not only do Magnolia and her family take home bragging rights, but there’s also a big payoff for her victory. She will be featured on Gerber’s social media platforms and marketing campaigns. The family will also receive a $25,000 prize and a number of other prizes. Gerber even gave Magnolia a shoutout on their Instagram page for her first birthday.
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But ultimately, the real win is the fact that an adopted baby finally took home the coveted Gerber Baby title, which goes to show it doesn’t matter where you come from.
Have you ever been friends with or have a family member with an interesting adoption story?
Tell us in the comments below!
