CEBU, Philippines - Having been the trademark of Gerber Baby Food, one of the world's most recognized baby food brands since 1928, little did we know that that charcoal sketch that has appeared on millions of the company's products and packed items over the years is the iconic face of an 85-year-old woman named Ann Turner Cook.
When Gerber made an announcement that the company was looking for a baby image for its line of baby food, neighbour and artist Dorothy Hope Smith in 1928 drew a portrait of little Ann. A competition together with many other hopefuls, the 5-month old chubby-cheeked face was finally branded as the Gerber Baby, a face that will always be familiar to many of us. Trademarked in 1931, it however wasn't until 1978 that the baby's identity was revealed.
For more than eight decades featuring Ann Turner Cook on all of Gerber's labels, a new adorable child has officially replaced the iconic face. The search was for a baby with a cherubic face with big round eyes. It has now been passed on to the newer and younger generation, to 8-month old Mary Jane Montoya who is today's newest Gerber Baby.
Helpful Resource: www.annturnercook.com (FREEMAN)