The Total Package (in Russian)

The Total Package is a fascinating look at the unexpected meanings hidden in the most familiar boxes, bottles, cans, and tubes found in every home. Thomas Hine decodes their secret language in a lively narrative revealing the way we sell our products and ourselves, and changing forever the way we see our increasingly packaged world.

Hine explores the engineering, design and advertising components of product packaging and reveals true reasons behind some of the details that are usually left unnoticed: for example, cigarette packs have hinged lids to force smokers to take the pack out of a pocket and demonstrate the brand to others.

Even more interesting are parallels drawn by the author between the ways boxes and cans on store shelves and “packaged” phenomena, people and companies influence mass consciousness.