(KAZT) — A 1-year-old Arizona boy with an infectious smile is the newest Gerber Baby.
The family brand announced Tuesday that Akil McLeod, whose nickname is “Sonny,” won Gerber’s 14th annual photo contest, impressing judges with his bright personality.
“Sonny immediately captured our hearts with his joyful smile and his family’s inspiring demonstration of what it means to grow with love,” said Chandra Kumar, president of Nestlé Infant Nutrition, in a news release.
The toddler’s family is dedicated to serving their Phoenix community and often volunteers with local organizations, Gerber officials said.
During an appearance on the “Today” show, Sonny’s mom, Dominque McLeod, told the co-hosts that she entered her son into the contest but didn’t tell anyone — not even her husband, Akil Sr.
“I thought, well, what are the odds, right?” she recalled.
When Sonny became a finalist, Akil Sr. said that he was excited that his baby had an actual chance of winning.
Aside from playing peekaboo with his big sister, Sage, Sonny enjoys reading his ABC book, playing with toy cars and watching football. He also recently celebrated his first birthday.
“Every day it’s an honor to watch Sonny conquer so many tiny achievements, from giggles, to trying new foods, to standing up and everything in between,” his mom said in a statement. “We couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate his first birthday than to be chosen as the 2024 Gerber Baby.”
As the 2024 Gerber Baby, Sonny will appear in the company’s marketing campaigns throughout the year. His family will also receive $25,000 along with free Gerber products and new clothes provided by Gerber Childrenswear.
The original Gerber Baby logo was introduced in 1928 when the company began its baby food campaign and was eventually adopted as Gerber’s official trademark in 1931.
The baby’s identity was kept secret until 1978; many believed the baby grew up to be a famous movie star like Humphrey Bogart or Elizabeth Taylor, the Gerber website says, but it was revealed to be mystery novelist and retired teacher Ann Turner Cook, who died in 2022 at the age of 95.
According to the Gerber news release, the photo search was inspired by “countless” photos sent in by parents of babies that resembled the original logo depicting Ann Turner Cook, so in 2011, the company began its yearly search for a “spokesbaby.”
KTLA’s Will Conybeare contributed to this story.