Oran Parker

Our Brand was recently contacted through the LinkedIn network, and asked if we would be interested in creating a new logo design for the Southwest Louisiana Lodging Association. We really enjoy working on logos (and some folks think we're pretty decent at it), so we jumped at the chance to help this local group put a face to their name.

Right off the line I knew that this was our kind of project. Midge Singleton, the President of the SWLA Lodging Associaiton, was friendly and very informative. She knew what her organization was all about, and was able to very clearly present a vision for its future.

We discovered that there was actually no existing logo in place for SLLA. We also learned more about the Association, which exists to be the regional voice for the Southwest Louisiana lodging industry, primarily representing hotels, casinos, bed & breakfasts, and campgrounds. I felt that these four sectors would be key in the development of my initial idea, which was to play on the mobile map markers that we see in Google Maps, and MapQuest. Midge was very receptive to this idea, so away we went.

LeNae Goolsby, Sr. Executive Director

The majority of cancer care is provided in the community oncology setting, and the majority of community cancer patients are Medicare recipients. Many people do not realize that Medicare, as well as other third party payors, only cover a portion of the costs related to cancer care. Medicare, specifically, only pays eighty percent (80%) of a cancer patient’s treatment costs, leaving the patient, and/or his/her family member(s) responsible for payment of the remaining twenty percent (20%).  An average course of treatment can run as high as Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) for a single patient, leaving that patient responsible for as much as Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00).  Often times these patients, unable to afford the costs, are forced to simply forego care.  

Further, it seems that nearly every year Medicare either cuts or threatens to cut its reimbursement to oncology care providers.  Over the past few years several community oncology care clinics have been forced to close their doors, and/or reduce treatment services.  According to a study conducted by ASCO in 2007, based on "...[c]urrent cancer rates and delivery patterns..., the nation is expected to face an acute shortage of oncologists [by 2020]."[1]

It is out of the threat to access to quality cancer care delivery in the community setting that the COR Foundation was born. Currently the COR Foundation has three programs. The first is a patient treatment payment assistance program. This program is designed specifically to assist qualifying cancer patients with their out of pocket expenses. Second, we work closely with area community cancer care providers to assist in bringing oncologic technologies and resources to the area that may not currently be available. Finally, but definitely not least of all, we seek to provide volunteer mentors and assistance to patients, either one on one or in the clinic setting.

In order for these programs to be successful we need your help and would greatly appreciate your generous financial gifts and/or gifts of your time, skills, and talents.

Oran Parker

Yesterday I had a bit of time to kill before a meeting and I decided to stop by the Henning House right next to the historic Brimstone Museum) in Sulphur, a fine art gallery directed by my good friend Thom Trahan, assisted by the Creative Director Eric Manual.

Now, I live in Sulphur, and you would think that being interested in art and creativity, I would stop in more often. Sadly, like most of us, I'm always going full-speed during the day, seldom making that conscious effort to stop and enjoy the things around me. Yesterday was one of those days where I decided to not skip over the opportunity to drop in and visit my friends at the Brimstone, and I'm really glad I did.

Oran Parker

Markets, whether they be local, national, or global, all have their own sets of vendors and craftsmen that creative companies call on, as well as their own native creative agencies. The competitive nature of business being what it is, you can choose to protect your sources, becoming a bit of an island unto your self, or you can share the load and tap into the collective creativity of the market you operate in.

Going forward, it's important that I be clear about the Parker Brand position on collective creativity. I choose to create partnerships, and since I am my brand, and my brand is my bond, that means Parker Brand Creative Services does too. I've reflected on this idea of collective creativity often, and perhaps it is one of the reasons that I've never truly settled into the typical medium-market agency world. In my experience it doesn't leave you open to work with the pool of creative individuals and companies that exist in your market. It locks you into the same team, the same style, the same thoughts, and the same methods of doing things, unless of course you're willing to break boundaries, which is never an easy thing.

Oran Parker

My first client of the new year came to me with one of my favorite requests... a brand update. These are my favorite types of projects to work on. It's always a joy to see where a business, or organization has been, and to be a part of helping them take the next step.

Most of the time I find that there is some history there, and I always try to take that into consideration before I move forward. This often doesn't allow for full creative, which I find to be even more challenging. You see, with an existing brand there are usually pre-existing parameters, a definite arena in which I have to work. This limitation is truly challenging, but in many ways it forces you to be even more creative with the graphic solution.

In the case of the Community Oncology Resources Foundation there was already a logo and slogan in place, but neither had seen enough placement to be considered solid identifiers for the non-profit foundation.