The company's website says: "In 1928, Gerber held a contest to find a face to represent a baby food advertising campaign. Artist Dorothy Hope Smith entered her simple charcoal sketch of a tousle-haired, bright-eyed cherub of a baby with endearing pursed lips. In her entry, Smith noted that she would finish the sketch if she won.
"Her drawing competed with elaborate oil paintings, but the judges fell in love with the baby face Smith drew, and when they chose it as the winner, they insisted that the simple illustration remain a sketch. The image of this happy, healthy baby was soon to become the face that launched a brand, a face recognized and loved across the globe."
"Indeed, the illustration became so popular that Gerber adopted it as its official trademark in 1931. Since then, the Gerber Baby has appeared on all Gerber packaging and in every Gerber advertisement."
"Indeed, the illustration became so popular that Gerber adopted it as its official trademark in 1931. Since then, the Gerber Baby has appeared on all Gerber packaging and in every Gerber advertisement."
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Read more at the Gerber baby food website
Just wondering how much Miss Smith made in the way of royalties, etc for use of her adorable baby sketch
ReplyDeleteThere used to be (in the 60s) a rumor that the Gerber Baby was none other than Humphrey Bogart. Anyone else hear of that?
ReplyDeleteThere was an urban legend which persisted for years, claiming that Smith's model was an infant Humphrey Bogart. It wasn't.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering the same thing Mary de Gardner, I was also curious if they left her initials in the image or even credited her for a time - my initial thoughts are she received a pittance long-term for the sketch.
ReplyDeleteTHAT WAS EXACTLY MY THOUGHT! --Kristopher Battles "Sketchpad Warrior"
ReplyDeleteWell, Mary, it looks like the artist was paid a flat fee....the article notes that the MODEL got $5000 (after several people tried to sue Gerber for using their own baby's image without their permission, Gerber tracked down the original model and paid her for her signature)...the wiki says the artist got $300 for the drawing and the rights...
ReplyDeleteThe original model for the drawing was Ann Turner Cook, who celebrated her 95th birthday last November. https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/20/us/original-gerber-baby-95-birthday-trnd/index.html
ReplyDeleteI really have come to love sketch art more than finished art, and I wondered why that was---perhaps just a phase that would pass on my own artistic journey.
ReplyDeleteThen, last week, the notion struck me that I also have grown to love and appreciate stripped-down and "rough" folk-music more that heavily produced pop or rock.
I think there's a essential thread that connects these two examples of basic/raw artist expression that I can't quite articulate, but think is real.