The (Real) Story of Those Cute Babies in the E-Trade Superbowl Commercials

We don't think they're cute. We think they're funny. But after an exclusive embed with the creative team for E-Trade's 'milk-a-holic' commercial, we have some secrets (and photos of babies) to reveal.Head to Esquire.com for the complete scoop. In the meantime, here are five secrets from the timeline below.


The Baby Vomits:

February 3, 2008:
The most talked-about ad during the Super Bowl is a twist on the webcam: a talking (and puking) baby. Giants beat Patriots, 17-14.

The Baby Gets a Friend:

February 1, 2009:The most talked-about ad during the Super Bowl is a twist on the talking baby: a singing baby, Steelers beat Cardinals, 27-23.

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Time for a New Baby:

February 2, 2009:
E-Trade commits to a 2010 Super Bowl ad which, on average, will go for $2.8 million. "We never discussed not having the baby," Myhren says. "But the third year is always the hardest year because you've seen it twice - there's always a bit of public backlash. I don't care how cute the baby is or how funny the script is, people are going to go, 'Enough with the baby.'" Another problem: The original E-Trade baby, Manolo, had grown up.

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The Great Baby Hunt:

November 5, 2009: If you film babies in Canada, they're cheaper. And so fifty child actors, aged nine to thirteen months, descended upon Toronto - nearly half of whom spent the afternoon crying. "You are really at the mercy of these babies," Behnen says. "If they don't want to do anything, there's nothing you can do about it. Then you have the drama of the stage moms and you have these baby wranglers - people who are paid to wave stuff in front of the babies. They're kind of circus freaks.

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The E-Trade Baby:

November 9, 2009: After a conclave with E-Trade, a Kundun is chosen: meet McCallister, a sixteen-month-old acting rookie. "He's got this great blend of natural body language," Behnen says. "When you put that with Pete Holmes's voice, it's hilarious."

To Find the Rest of the Story, and Find out How Those Talking Babies Talk, Head to Esquire.com

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