This month's arrival in stores of the updated New International Version (NIV) marks the culmination one of the most high-pressure Bible-publishing projects ever undertaken.

The widely anticipated revision of the best-selling modern translation, the focus of a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign, debuts with more than 150 SKUs prepared in just a few months.

The hot-off-the-press updated NIV comes to a Bible market more crowded than when the previous translation was released in 1984, but Zondervan has been pleased by its initial reception.

The company was "humbled" by demand warranting a first print run of 1.4 million, said Senior Vice President and Publisher for Bibles Chip Brown. "All but one of our retailers are taking in significantly more NIVs than they sold in the same period last year," he told Christian Retailing.

Marketing, understood to be around $5 million, centers on a "Come Closer" campaign, backed by "Bibles for Everyone"—a program promoting special-price deals on copies for churches, evangelism and overseas distribution.

Among the first print releases available March 1 will be all text Bibles, including Thinline, gift and award editions. In the fall will come an additional 180 products, includes study and audio Bibles "and some new product lines," Brown said.

The new packaging, created following nationwide research on how consumers learn about, shop and select Bibles at CBA stores, includes icons and features information. Zondervan's retail support includes an updated Bible translation chart, updated Total Bible Solutions signage and an NIV-specific merchandising kit complementing the look and messaging of the national media campaign.

In the lead up to the print arrival, Zondervan is making 1 million free downloads of the entire NIV text available online at www.youversion.com.

Read the complete report in the March issue of Christian Retailing.

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