The Book: A sexy coffee table Bible to show off your historical savoir-faire
The Book is a new spin on an old best-seller.
“The concept originated with a general philosophical dinner table discussion between Michel Gyring and Mats Rabe in Stockholm, Sweden. The conversation asked the question “Why people don’t read historical texts” and they began pondering if the traditional format or design turned people off. They realized there was a huge opportunity to re-design or illuminate these types of old texts. This was the beginning of Illuminated World”.
The first project Illuminated World took on was a sexy, glossy magazine format version of the formerly-holy Bible, with shots of Angelina Jolie, monks on fire, polar bears and brand-name beverages. The “illuminators“, partnered with The American Bible Society, offer “to introduce today’s audience to a…contemporary Bible”, with the “realizing” of the “huge opportunity” being the niche-creating idea that a well-designed, sexy Bible would sell like hotcakes—a page out of fellow Swedish design-dealers IKEA’s book.
From the ‘about us’ page of the so-brilliant-it’s-just-a-crime masterminds behind “The Illuminated Bible: The Book - New Testament”:
Dag Söderberg [Founder & CEO] is a spiritual but not particularly religious individual and his mission is simple; make the Bible accessible and readable.
Previous to publishing The Book, Dag was CEO of one of the largest advertising firms in Scandinavia.
What did we learn in the above paragraphs? The idea man doesn’t believe in the Bible, but he’s a great marketer.
Never ever buy an idea from someone who’s admitted background is in marketing. As much as you practice and are expert in your daily work, marketers spend all their professional time thinking about how to manipulate you out of your money.
We have no religious agenda nor do we support a specific faith.
—Illuminated World’s Mission
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Illuminated World doesn’t even believe in the idea they’re selling—Christianity. They just want…to…get paid…
Ok, now that I’ve figured them out, I must congratulate these canny businessmen! This equal-opportunity swindle targets not only the believer market, but also…everyone else! That’s the genius twist—don’t just take Christian’s money, everyone should check this book out as a historical text. It’s cool to have this by the couch. It’s “smarter, more sensitive to [your] surroundings” to read this book, suggests Larry Norton, Illuminated’s president, whether you’re “religious or not”.
Oh Lord, apparently Bono’s in this book:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/3167018/Angelina-Jolie-Bono-and-Nelson-Mandela-feature-in-Vogue-style-Bible.html
Celebs were chosen “after the publishers asked the Swedish public which famous figures in modern times represented goodness and compassion. “
Posted by Reason on October 17th, 2008 12:44 am