Austine & Partners International Ltd has named Nigerian comedian and actor Stanley Chibunna, known as Funny Bone, as “The Voitis Man,” a move that marks a new chapter for its Voitis Single Malt Whiskey brand. The unveiling took place on Friday, September 4, at The Delborough, Victoria Island, Lagos, during a black-tie event themed “One Man. One Moment. One Legacy.”
Unveiling Event Details
Guests were received on a black carpet from 6 p.m. before the formal presentation of Funny Bone as the brand’s personality. Rather than a typical celebrity endorsement, Austine & Partners is using “The Voitis Man” as an expression of the brand itself, built around the line “Smooth by Nature. Savvy by Choice. Calm in Every Moment.” This identity is intended to reflect the qualities Voitis wants in its product, communication, and consumer experience.
Voitis Single Malt Whiskey, owned by Austine & Partners International Ltd, is part of the company’s wines and spirits portfolio. Crafted from malted barley and matured in oak casks, the whiskey has been positioned around quality, craftsmanship, and a refined drinking experience since entering the Nigerian market in 2023.
Brand Ambition and Leadership Comments
Austine & Partners CEO Augustine Okonkwo said the development reflects the company’s broader ambition for Voitis. “We are building Voitis around quality, character and a clear sense of what the brand represents. The Voitis Man gives us another way to bring that identity to life,” Augustine said. This direction places greater emphasis on building a recognisable world around Voitis, with “The Voitis Man” providing a personality through which the brand can communicate its character more visibly.
Funny Bone’s selection brings familiarity to that identity without shifting attention away from the whiskey. His career spans comedy, film, and television, including recognition at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, where he won Best Actor in a Comedy in 2020.
Funny Bone’s Perspective
Speaking about stepping into the role, Funny Bone said the values attached to “The Voitis Man” were what made the association especially meaningful to him. “What stands out for me is the character behind it: confidence, composure and knowing who you are. Those are qualities I am proud to represent with Voitis,” Funny Bone said.
As the evening progressed, the atmosphere became part of the experience itself. Guests mingled, shared glasses of Voitis, took photographs, and moved through the black-tie setting as conversations continued around the brand and the reveal. The relaxed but polished mood gave attendees a more direct feel of the lifestyle identity Austine & Partners is building around the whiskey.
Arise TV Interviews and Future Plans
The unveiling was accompanied by conversations with Arise TV, where Austine & Partners Chairman Sandra Iyawa Somtochukwu, General Manager Amah Ayebaeneni Obioma, and Stanley Chibunna spoke about the thinking behind the reveal and the direction being shaped around Voitis. Sandra stated that the moment reflects Austine & Partners’ intention to give the whiskey a stronger identity while keeping the product itself at the centre. “We want Voitis to build an identity people recognise and connect with, while keeping the quality and character of the whiskey at the centre of that experience,” Sandra said.
According to Amah, “The Voitis Man” gives Austine & Partners another way to communicate the character it has built around the single malt whiskey. “The idea is to make the personality of Voitis easier to experience and remember wherever consumers encounter the brand,” Amah said. That perspective also brings attention back to the person now expected to carry that identity publicly.
When asked during the Arise TV interview what he wants consumers to associate with “The Voitis Man,” Funny Bone said the role should feel genuine rather than manufactured. “I want people to see something authentic. The personality should feel natural, relatable and true to what Voitis represents,” Funny Bone said.
The unveiling gives Austine & Partners another platform to develop the Voitis story as the company strengthens the whiskey’s visibility and market presence across Nigeria and West Africa. For Austine & Partners, introducing “The Voitis Man” goes beyond unveiling a new face for the whiskey; it establishes a recognisable brand personality that Voitis can continue to build around as its consumer engagement and presence in the premium spirits market evolve.
