Winning Entry features 8-month-old Mary Jane Montoya of Fresno, Calif., Mom Receives $50,000 Prize
FLORHAM PARK, NJ – November 6, 2012 – Gerber Products Company, part of the Nestlé family, announced today that baby Mary Jane Montoya of Fresno, Calif. is the new star of the Gerber Generation! Mary Jane’s picture was entered into the 2012 Gerber Generation Photo Search, which attracted more than 308,000 memorable smiles and animated faces during the six week entry period this year! Mary Jane’s mother will receive a $50,000 cash prize, and Mary Jane will have the opportunity to appear in future Gerber advertising.
“Our baby looks just like the Gerber baby, but we still can’t believe the photo of our baby won the Grand Prize!” said Sara Montoya, Mary Jane’s mother. “Like parents everywhere, we think our baby is cute, but to have this honor is something we’ll cherish for forever. To us, winning $50,000 is like winning a million dollars!”
The Gerber Generation Photo Search was hosted on Gerber’s Facebook page, where parents and guardians were invited to enter photos of their children into the search by uploading a picture under the appropriate Start Healthy, Stay Healthy™ Milestone during the entry period. A panel of Gerber judges reviewed the entries to find children from birth to preschool age whose photos demonstrated visual appeal, expressiveness and consistency with Geber’s heritage. The photo that best met these criteria was selected as the Grand Prize winner. This received enormous interest, garnering more than 2.5 million new “Likes” to Gerber’s Facebook page!
“We are contacted everyday by moms and dads who ask the same question, ‘My baby looks just like the Gerber Baby, how do I get them into your advertising?’” said Cathy Abramski, Head of Consumer Communications, Gerber. “By hosting Photo Search on the Gerber Facebook page, we are providing our fans with the opportunity to see their child in future Gerber advertisements. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.”
INTRODUCING The 2012 Milestone Winners
In addition to the Grand Prize winner, six Start Healthy, Stay Healthy™ Milestone winners were selected from each Milestone category – Birth+, Supported Sitter, Sitter, Crawler, Toddler and Preschooler. Milestone winners were determined based on Facebook fan votes. The Milestone winners will each receive a $10,000 Gerber Life College Plan ($10,000 value at 10-year maturity. Available for U.S. residents 18-75. Subject to Plan terms and conditions. See official rules for details.).
This year’s Milestone winning entries feature:
- Birth+: Phoenix Molina, who loves to eat peaches, from Sacramento, Calif.
- Supported Sitter: Justin Ridzon, who loves to eat apples, from Lowell, Mass.
- Sitter: Jax Schuster, who loves to eat squash, from Lebanon, Ind.
- Crawler: Londyn Ridley, who loves to eat bananas, from Millsboro, Del.
- Toddler: Jaiden Davidson, who loves to eat bananas, from Petersburg, Va.
- Preschooler: Johnathon Cahill, who loves to eat apples, from Mastic Beach, N.Y.
You can view the Milestone winners’ photos on the Gerber Facebook page.
About the Gerber Generation
The Gerber Generation marketing campaign was born to give a voice to today’s children and their desire to live healthier lives. Gerber provides parents with products and resources for these children through its Start Healthy, Stay Healthy™ Nutrition System, which helps build healthy eating habits from birth through preschool.
ABOUT GERBER
Gerber was founded in 1928 in Fremont, Michigan. Gerber Products Company joined the Nestlé family on September 1, 2007. Gerber Products Company is committed to being a leader in early childhood nutrition.
As part of that commitment, Gerber® Start Healthy, Stay Healthy™ recommends starting with breastfeeding, as breastmilk is ideal for babies. The Start Healthy, Stay Healthy™ nutrition system provides education, support and services regarding developmentally appropriate feeding choices for babies.
All trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.
For more information on Nestlé Nutrition and Gerber, visit www.gerber.com.