Open access
TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE DESIGN CATEGORY AND THE ORIGIN OF "UNBOXING RITUAL"
Barbara ORZEŁ1
Methodological Inquiries
Publication language: Polish
Journal article
Transformations No. 1-2 (68-69) 2011, Publication date: 12 May 2011
Abstract How has the Apple Company changed the design category and indirectly our culture? – that is the major question of this article. There is no doubt, that Apple has very precisely responded to Paul Rand’ words: “Design is Everything. Everything!"- it has transformed the way we experience media – now it is a “total experience", which begins on the doorstep of an Apple Store. The author considers the influence of “design culture" and the philosophy of the Apple design (the so-called “designer’s religion") as the basic reasons of this described cultural change. In her opinion, the invention of the new method for consuming new media was only a matter of time. The last part of article is dedicated to the package, which contemporarily plays a brand new role - it is not only an aesthetic object, it is also a “tutor", who teaches us how to use the product and how to enjoy it. And the most important thing in this case: the package makes us to celebrate some kind of “ritual", the “unboxing ritual" (which probably would be published on YouTube).
Instytut Nauk o Kulturze, Wydział Filologiczny Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
E-mail: barbara.orzel@wp.pl