Do your homework

Good ideas don’t just happen.
They’re built—step by step.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing one idea—
three different ways.

• Emotional → to make you feel it
• Instructional → to help you use it
• Social → to make it cut through the scroll

Same thinking.
Different ways to communicate it.

We start at the beginning.

Do your homework.

Start by really understanding the product.
Then understand your audience.

That’s where you’ll find the inspiration—
and the shortest path to a big idea.

Then bring it to life.

CLIFF OF HUMANITY — A MESSAGE IN MOTION and song

A song I wrote, produced and posted this week may seem outside my usual work.
It’s not.

Start with a clear idea.
Build a story around it.
Use visuals to make it felt.
Deliver a message that matters.

This one began with a perspective astronauts often describe—seeing Earth without borders, without division. That idea became Cliff of Humanity.

A message in motion. Link to music video below:

https://youtu.be/fW3CkYHS5xM?si=jSW88sfPrT_N32h5

MLi design – the brand

We’ve recently completed a brand style guide for MLI Design — not as an internal marketing exercise, but as a way to share with potential clients how we work and what they can expect working with us, detailing our company philosophy and creative approach. If you’re curious you can download the Brand Introduction here:

https://mlidesign.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/MLI_Design-BrandStyleGuide-02026.pdf

Celebrating 40 Years in Design — and 20 Years of MLi Design

As we look ahead to 2026, I’m excited to share a milestone that represents both a personal and professional journey: 40 years in the advertising and design industry and 20 years of working independently as MLi Design.

These past four decades have taken me through agency life, corporate creative roles, digital media, and nearly two decades of running my own studio. Each chapter has shaped the way I approach design — with purpose, clarity, and a focus on meaningful communication.

To mark this 20/40 celebration, I’ve refreshed the MLi Design brand and updated the website. This was the right moment to refine the studio’s visual language, modernize the online presence, and reconnect with the clients, collaborators, and friends I’ve been fortunate to work with over the years.

If you’d like to explore the updated site, you’ll find new work samples, refined messaging, and a clearer look at what MLi Design offers today.

Thank you for being part of this journey — whether we worked together recently or decades ago. I’m grateful for every project, partnership, and conversation along the way.

Visit the updated site at: www.mli.design

More updates to come as we head into the official 20/40 milestone year.

— Michael Inks
Creative Director, MLi Design

Videopoker.com Website update 2025

VideoPoker.com was one of MLi Design’s initial clients when we established our operations nearly two decades ago. As a non-wagering online platform for Video Poker and Keno gaming, VideoPoker.com provides visitors with the opportunity to acquire proficiency in authentic video poker games at no cost. The website’s most recent web design emphasizes user-centricity, drawing inspiration from player feedback and empirical analyses of site usage and navigation patterns. VideoPoker.com empowers players to acquire knowledge and skills from the comfort of their homes, ultimately enabling them to replicate their success in a casino setting.

Into the ceiling

Branding, Art Direction and production by MLI Design

DESCRIPTION:
“What’s that noise?”

Max pops open his eyes and wonders.

Seeing a colorful, sparkling ring of soft wind swirling around an open hole in his bedroom ceiling, Max calls his younger sister, Anna, to join him. Believing this must be a Christmas Eve dream, he climbs into the ceiling to discover what’s beyond the comfort of his cozy bedroom.

With Anna by his side, they are transported to a beautiful snow-covered street with thousands of sparkling lights and wooden sidewalks lined with inviting shops and dazzling decorations.

On one very special Christmas Eve, Max and Anna meet eight shop owners who welcome them with hugs, know them by name, and know why they are there. Max and Anna receive a rare opportunity to find out that:

Love never dies.

We are never alone.

Every generation is connected to family

of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Now available on Amazon.com