Copper & Courage: The Genesis of Private White V.C.

Manchester menswear brand Private White V.C. has unveiled its latest campaign film, which brings to life the World War 1 heroics of its namesake Private Jack White V.C.

Words: Zak Maoui

Private White VC takes its name from its founder Private Jack White V.C., who was a private in the First World War and awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroics in Mesopotamia in 1917. After his military service, Jack White began an apprenticeship as a pattern cutter in his local raincoat factory in Manchester, and by 1937, after less than twenty years of service, he was the sole owner of the factory.

For James Eden, CEO and Great-Grandson of Private Jack White V.C. in 2025, the story of his grandfather has never been told in enough detail. And so today the brand has unveiled a new film which explores its eponymous founder’s wartime story. Blending live-action production with generative AI, the short film reimagines the heroics of Private Jack White V.C. The video merges the history of the brand with AI-generated content depicting White’s act of wartime heroism. In particular the film portrays a pivotal moment on 7 March 1917, when Private Jack White used a copper telephone wire to tow his stricken boat and comrades to safety under heavy enemy fire. It was this act of bravery that earned him the Victoria Cross and ignited over a century of craft in Manchester.

“For so long I have wanted to showcase the incredible true story of my great-grandfather on film,” said Eden. “His legacy, his values, his approach to craft underpins everything we do today. Copper & Courage finally allows us to share that story with the world, from the battlefield to the factory floor.”

The film couldn’t have been made without the help of ZUT, a Liverpool-based content creation agency specialising in AI. “AI opened up possibilities we simply couldn’t have achieved through traditional production alone,”said Mark Hancock, Managing Director at production partner ZUT. “But it wasn’t a one-click solution. Our team experimented with hundreds of prompts, refined parameters, and blended AI outputs with filmed elements to achieve the tone, historical accuracy, and emotional impact this story deserved.

Copper & Courage: The Genesis of Private White V.C. is available to stream now at privatewhitevc.com

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