(WJW) — Gerber has announced the winner of its 2020 photo search: an 11-month-old named Magnolia Earl, who is the first adopted child to represent the company’s campaign.
Magnolia, from California, “captured the hearts of the judging panel with her joyful expression, playful smile and warm, engaging gaze,” Gerber said in a press release. She was chosen from more than 327,000 entries.
“Magnolia represents every Gerber baby, and her family’s story serves as a reminder of what unites all parents and drives everyone at Gerber: the promise to do anything for baby,” the release states.
Her mother, Courtney Earl, said Magnolia was born on May 9, 2019.
“On May 9th, 2019, we received a call from the Adoption Agency that there was an expectant mom that was in labor and wanted to talk to us!’ she said. “We pulled off the highway, got a chance to connect with her amazing birth parents, and a few hours later, this sweet baby girl was born.”
She said adoption plays a special part for their family. Magnolia has two older sisters, Whitney, 12, and Charlotte, 8, who were also adopted.
“Winning Photo Search is an opportunity to tell Magnolia’s story and shed light on all the beautiful and different ways families are made,” Earl said.
Said Bill Partyka, Gerber president and CEO: “We believe every baby is a Gerber baby and standing behind our babies has never mattered more than it does now. At a time when we are yearning for connection and unity, Magnolia and her family remind us of the many things that bring us together: our desire to love and be loved, our need to find belonging, and our recognition that family goes way beyond biology.”
