From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:
In 1988, Melanie Baird, at the age of six years old, became a celebrity in her town of Bruce Mines.
This blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl became the model for Bristol-Myers of Canada’s Fleecy Fabric Softener.
How Melanie came to be the face of the brand started back in 1985, when she met a commercial photographer, Rob Doda. Doda, who owned a cottage in the area, had taken some pictures of Melanie in Sudbury before opening his business in Toronto.
In early 1988, Doda heard a friend say that they needed 200 blonde-haired, blue-eyed girls between the ages of 4 and 7 for the Fleecy advertisement, but couldn’t find the right match. Doda had immediately thought of Melanie Baird and returned to Bruce Mines to find her.
Melanie was one of 30 potential models for the job, and with her mother, she travelled to Toronto in March of 1988 to participate in a photography session to determine whose face would be on the Fleecy label.
The Fleecy company and the talent agency were impressed with Melanie’s poise and ability to follow instructions, and in late June, Melanie was awarded the job.
Melanie seemed to be bitten by the performing bug at an early age, since she was a student at the Gauvreau School of Performing Arts in Sudbury at the age of 3 in 1985.
Only a year later, Melanie was winning awards for modelling and pageants like the Northern Ontario Dream Girl and Sunburst Canada. At the Sunburst Canada pageant in Toronto, she was named top overall competitor in 1987 and 1988.
She was so successful in the performing arts pageants that it nearly landed her a role in the movie sequel for The Three Amigos, which starred Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Chevy Chase.
Melanie had a variety of other interests, like singing, dancing, swimming, fishing, canoeing, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing, which no doubt added to the talented young girl’s resumé.
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