If you’ve ever thought that your baby was cute and felt “hey, my baby should be a Gerber baby” then you had a chance to submit your child to actually be the Gerber baby. This year, Riley Shines has been selected to be the new Gerber baby. The 7-month-old from Lewis Center, Ohio, was selected by a panel of judges as the grand prize-winning entry from more than 110,000 entries. Riley was chosen for his “expressions and visual appeal, as well as how well he’d represent the brand.” Riley will receive $50,000 cash prize, $1,500 in Gerber Childrenswear, and the chance to star in a 2017 Gerber ad, according to NBC.
“Originally, my husband laughed at me for entering the contest because there were so many submissions! Now, we have the opportunity to start a college fund for our beautiful baby boy,” said Riley’s mom, Kristen Shines.
In addition to starring in commercials, having spots on TV and being the new face of babies across the country, Gerber will document Riley’s baby years on social media. For those keeping track, the Gerber baby search actually began back in 2010 and is intended to pay homage to the original 1928 Gerber baby Ann Turner Cook.
Also, how great a name is Riley Shines? Could you have picked a better name? While judges didn’t say that the name was a factor in the decision for Riley to win, you’d have to think that if it came down to two babies and they were fairly equal, the name “Riley Shines” would definitely put one judge over the edge.
We look forward to seeing Riley plastered everywhere possible. After all, this is one cute baby!
Photo via Gerber
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