Gerber appoints first spokesbaby with Down’s Syndrome

Image: @gerber Instagram

Every year Gerber announce a new “spokesbaby” who will be featured on all its marketing products and in 2018, the baby magnates chose a picture of a cute little boy in a bow tie with a wide grin. What’s notable about the choice is that Lucas Warren is the first baby with Down’s Syndrome to win Gerber’s “baby of the year” photo competition in the company’s history.

18 month old Lucas fought off 140,000 other entries to win the baby of the year crown. Kristin Wooten, Gerber’s spokesperson told CNN that the company choses a spokesbaby “who exemplifies Gerber’s longstanding heritage of recognising that every baby is a Gerber baby, and Lucas is a perfect fit.”

Approximately one in 700 babies is born with Down’s Syndrome in the US but they’re hardly ever represented in media or the public eye. Lucas’s mum, Cortney, said that she hopes her baby’s win will represent something larger for people born with Down’s Syndrome. “I hope it shines light to the special needs community, showing that they are just like you and me,” she said. “They should be accepted, not based on their looks, but based on who they are.”

Winning “baby of the year” also comes with a $50,000 prize, which Lucas’ parents are putting towards his education.

People on Twitter have celebrated the news as a positive representation of people with Down’s Syndrome:

Accessibility Tools

Discover more from Enable Magazine

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading