The Gerber Baby is a much-loved tradition in the food company’s history that spans an impressive 90 years, beginning first as a now-iconic drawing before evolving into a nationwide contest to find the perfect spokesbaby to fill the role.
And now for the first time in the brand’s history, it has chosen a baby with Down syndrome to serve as the Gerber Baby, Lucas Warren, a one-year-old from Dalton, Georgia, who beat out a slew of other hopefuls in order to claim the title.
Now, the adorable tot will feature on all Gerber packaging and in every Gerber advertisement for 2018, and is only the eighth Gerber Baby ever to do so in the .
Winning smile: Lucas Warren, a one-year-old from Dalton, Georgia who has Down syndrome, has been named as the Gerber Spokesbaby for 2018
Special guy: Lucas is the eighth baby ever to be awarded the prize and the first with Down syndrome, pictured with his mom Cortney and dad Jason Warren
Surprised: Lucas’ parents shared that they only entered their son for ‘fun’ and had no expectations of winning the competition which received 140,000 entries
And Lucas and his family will also receive $50,000 prize money.
Chosen out of 140,000 entries, the judges revealed that the little boy’s ‘glowing and giggly smile’ immediately made him a front runner.
However Lucas’ parents, Cortney and Jason Warren, have shared that they only entered their son for ‘fun’ on a whim and had no expectations of winning.
They submitted the photo of him dressed in a green shirt, beige chinos and polka dot dicky bow on Instagram using the contest’s hashtag.
‘He’s very outgoing and never meets a stranger,’ Lucas’s mom, Cortney, told Today.
‘He loves to play, loves to laugh and loves to make other people laugh.’
In good company: Riley Shines was chosen as the 2017 Gerber Spokesbaby
Striking a pose: Mercy Townsend was named the winner in 2010, left, and right, the 2015 Spokesbaby, Isla Welch
Double trouble: Twin boys Levi & Paxton Strickland were named the Gerber babies in 2013
‘We’re hoping this will impact everyone — that it will shed a little bit of light on the special needs community and help more individuals with special needs be accepted and not limited,’ Jason Warren added.
‘They have the potential to change the world, just like everybody else.’
However Courtney also revealed that she hopes people will be able to see past her son’s genetic disorder.
‘He may have Down syndrome, but he’s always Lucas first,’ she said.
‘He’s got an awesome personality and he goes through the milestones of every child… we’re hoping when he grows up and looks back on this, he’ll be proud of himself and not ashamed of his disability.’
Cute: Grace Pfautz was named the winner of the competition in 2014
All smiles: In 2012 Mary Jane Montoya won the prize, a year after Tate Rosendahl, right, in 2011
A sentiment shared by Bill Partyka, CEO and president of Gerber: ‘Every year, we choose the baby who best exemplifies Gerber’s longstanding heritage of recognizing that every baby is a Gerber baby.’
‘This year, Lucas is the perfect fit,’ he added.
Gerber’s first national photo contest took place in 1928, selecting Ann Turner Cook to front the campaign until 2010.
The brand then launched its annual Photo Baby Search to celebrate all babies and toddlers.