This Ad Celebrates Women’s Bravery Through History

Ancient + Brave, the female-founded B Corp-certified wellness pioneer and one of the UK’s five fastest-growing companies, has unveiled its first-ever TV advert after being named one of five winners in Channel 4 Sales’ B Corp competition to win free advertising airtime with B Lab UK.

The 40-second film was created using virtual production; a hybrid of traditional filmmaking and cutting-edge tech, taking viewers on a journey through time and depicting moments when women have bravely shaped history. Every character in the film was chosen to illustrate the bravery women have shown through key historic and modern milestones, bravery that is often overlooked by society. From Celtic warriors and Saxon priestesses to suffragettes and scientists, the ad portrays a lineage of courage and reminds us of the everyday strength of modern women.

The film reflects Ancient + Brave’s mission to blend ancient wisdom and modern innovation to nourish a brave life - one where women can live on their own terms and march to their own drum, championing each other to feel powerful, brave, connected and fulfilled. This theme also flows through the brand’s award winning range of products, blending centuries of ancient wisdom with modern science and innovation, to create products at the cutting edge of female wellness.

With female empowerment central to the brand, the script was crafted to symbolise the strength of a sisterhood that spans generations, telling an inspiring story of how each act of bravery paves the way for others to live brave and powerful lives.

The advert was brought to life in collaboration with director Sonja Phillip and leading SFX supervisor Leo Neelands alongside a specialist AI team, allowing Ancient + Brave to deliver an ambitious creative idea within two days, and film in one location. Virtual production enabled the brand to merge real actors, authentic costumes and props with AI-generated environments, achieving a time-travelling, immersive, cinematic journey through centuries.

Kate Prince, founder and CEO of Ancient + Brave said, “Our debut TV campaign is a tribute to the remarkable resilience and ingenuity of women across time - from the trailblazers who changed history, to the quiet strength found in everyday life. We’re female-founded, so we wanted to show how each generation of women paves the way for the next, and that bravery takes many forms. For us, this film isn’t just about the past, it’s about inspiring women today to feel connected, confident and supported in their own journeys - as mothers, sisters, friends and leaders.”

Fiona Marshall, CCO at Ancient + Brave said, “As a small start-up business in the scale-up phase, we had to think laterally about how to achieve something both immersive and cinematic and as ambitious as we are as a brand. Virtual production gave us the sweet spot between traditional filming and the latest in digital technology, allowing us to tell our story with impact, scale and emotion.

“We are so grateful to the visionary, multi-talented creative team who embraced new ways of working to bring this project to life. The result is something we are truly proud of, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience the ad.”

The initiative, designed to spotlight sustainable businesses and demonstrate the transformative power of TV advertising, awarded each winner £120,000 worth of advertising airtime. Narrowed down from more than 200 applicants, Ancient + Brave was selected by a panel of leading judges for its creative vision, storytelling power and commitment to using business as a force for good. The five winning B Corp adverts, including Ancient + Brave, will air 25th September 2025 during a special Channel 4 primetime ad break takeover, alongside digital streaming placements.