RMB Solutions need us all

RMB shines a light on solutions for a courageous nation

Thank you Rand Merchant Bank for a humble, simple message that Solutions need us all.

1 Merchant Place, RMB’s home HQ in Sandton, is ablaze with the colours of national unity in a gesture of solidarity and solutionist thinking. For a few nights a week, between 7 and 8pm, the building lights up on two sides in the colours of the South African flag, carrying the message: “Solutions need us all.”

“The illumination of our building celebrates South African resilience and courage,” says RMB CEO James Formby.  “Every day I am inspired by ordinary South Africans doing extraordinary things –  often at great personal cost – to ensure the health, safety and best service of fellow citizens. Through the luminous building billboards of Merchant Place, RMB hopes to honour South Africans’ ability to stand together as optimistic problem-solvers in the face of adversity, as we navigate the journey to a new normal.”

1 Merchant Place, RMB’s home HQ in Sandton, is ablaze with the colours of national unity.

The low-voltage LED/event lighting display, which was put together by Gearhouse (a leading technical supplier to the event industry), cost-effectively expresses the power of creativity to overcome obstacles and harness the possibility of collaboration to unleash solutions to any situation.

“Finding solutions ignites positivity and inspires possibility. Solutions exist throughout the creative economy and they are very rarely achieved by standing alone,” says RMB creative counsel, Carolynne Waterhouse. “We can all learn more from the power of creativity, which is fuelled by the reality of limitations. Creative people – including bankers and business leaders – are forced to work within constraints to communicate, build and share their work. That’s what sparks creative solutions, and that’s what we’re aiming to communicate through our lighting display.”

Says Formby: “In this instance, the universal language of light represents illuminating optimism and recognises that South Africans in general can provide solutions, specifically in our current season of uncertainty. It also shows that iconic buildings can become cost-effective billboards; flagships can become flagpoles. 

“Furthermore, it stands for unity. Some of the best solutions come from multi-disciplinary teams, all with contrasting and complementary contributions. We need to ensure that innovation is allowed to flourish in the context of traditional values and social responsibility. That’s what solutionist thinking is all about.”

Finding solutions ignites positivity and inspires possibility. The illumination of the building celebrates South African resilience and courage. #RMBFlag #SolutionsNeedUsAll

Posted by CN&CO on Tuesday, May 5, 2020

The installation appears on two sides of RMB’s “Think Precinct”. The Fredman Drive frontage features the South African flag in full furl, topped with RMB’s existing blue air traffic safety lights, which in this time can also be interpreted as a tribute to our essential service workers.

The Rivonia Road façade features the colours of our national flag (in the style of “Cyril’s scarf”) representing the component nature of South African-centric solutionist thinking.

The display will run a few days a week from 7-8pm for the rest of the month of May.

This is just one of the amazing projects that RMB does – and we are massive fans of all their work. CN&CO has been involved with RMB for a number of years working on the PR for the RMB National Squad, our national rowing team.

“It’s such a pleasure to be able to work with two world-class teams on this project,” says CN&CO’s Blake Dyason. “The RMB marketing team and the national squad itself are both made up of dynamic, smart and determined individuals who inspire us every day with their energy and insight.”

Starlight Classics is another RMB favourite, and we make a point of attending every year.

The production itself is always top-notch and we love the opportunity to mingle with the RMB team and other audience members at the events themselves,” says CN&CO’s musical prodigy, Rikus Kok. “Of course, it’s also great to be able to watch the show on Mnet. We love this video of our mate Mike Kaufmann of Five2Nine, watching the televised performance with his daughter Aria, who was completely captivated by the show. 

“We’re sure she’s among the next generation of RMB clients and supporters of the arts.”

Mike Kaufmann’s daughter, Aria.

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