The mysterious maritime weather report has evolved into a cultural phenomenon in recent years. With the evolution of ship radars, its traditional functionality has slowly but surely diminished however, it remains a mainstay on BBC Radio 4. The BBC has attempted to remove it from their schedule multiple times, but each time they are met by strong protests from listeners.

Many find great comfort in listening to the show, with the melodic and repetitive nature of it providing them with a sense of escapism. In tribute to this, I created a full-page advert for the show, which both aligns with the BBC’s strict branding, but also nods to the calm headspace listeners access via the broadcast.

The ad contains a full transcript from the show, with the iconic opening line ‘And now, here is the Shipping Forecast’ in bold. As the text moves down the page, it is slowly liquified and disappears into a deep blue gradient, slipping away as the listener relaxes. Not only is the deep blue used the brand hue for BBC Radio 4, but it also visually mimics the sea, the subject of the show.