Meet Baby Gerber 2024, an adorable 1-year-old from Arizona

Ashleigh Jackson and Melissa Ziedy

17 minutes ago

(KAZT) — A 1-year-old Arizona boy with an infectious smile is the new Gerber baby.

The family-owned brand announced Tuesday that Akil McLeod, nicknamed “Sonny,” won the 14th annual Gerber Photo Contest, impressing judges with his brilliant personality.

“Sonny immediately captured our hearts with his cheerful smile and his family’s inspiring demonstration of what it means to grow up with love,” said Chandra Kumar, president of Nestlé Infant Nutrition, in a press 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 mother, Dominique McLeod, told the co-hosts that she entered her son in the competition but didn’t tell anyone, not even to her husband, Akil Sr.

“I wondered, well, what are the chances, right?” she says.

When Sonny became a finalist, Akil Sr. said he was thrilled that his baby had a real chance of winning.

Besides playing hide and seek with his big sister, Sage, Sonny enjoys reading his ABCs, playing with toy cars, and watching football. He also recently celebrated his first birthday.

“Every day, it’s an honor to see Sonny achieve so many small accomplishments, from laughter to trying new foods to getting out of bed and everything in between,” his mother said in a statement. “We couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate his first birthday than being chosen as the 2024 Gerber baby.”

As Gerber Baby 2024, Sonny will appear in the company’s marketing campaigns throughout the year. His family will also receive $25,000 as well as free Gerber products and new clothing provided by Gerber Childrenswear.

The original Gerber Baby logo was introduced in 1928 when the company launched its baby food campaign and was eventually adopted as Gerber’s official brand in 1931.

The baby’s identity remained secret until 1978; many thought the baby grew up to be a famous movie star like Humphrey Bogart or Elizabeth Taylor, Gerber’s website says, but it turned out to be retired crime novelist and teacher Ann Turner Cook, died in 2022 at the age of 95.

According to Gerber’s press release, the photo search was inspired by “countless” photos sent by parents of babies that resembled the original logo depicting Ann Turner Cook. So, in 2011, they began their annual search for a “baby spokesperson.”

KTLA’s Will Conybeare contributed to this story.