seele GmbH — Visual Safety System & Character Design
OSKAR for SEELE — Visual Storytelling for Safer Sites
Oct 2012 – Feb 2013
Client: seele GmbH (Gersthofen, Germany)
Illustration Agency: DieKleinert Illustration Agency, Munich
Role: Character Designer · Illustrator · Visual Communicator
Download Full Case Study (PDF):
marsdenillustration.com/PDF/casestudy-Seele-marsden.pdf
When seele GmbH — a global leader in high-end façade and glass construction — commissioned a visual safety system for their international teams, the goal was clear:
communicate complex site risks and safety protocols instantly and across language barriers.
Renowned for landmark projects such as Apple Park, The Broad Museum, and the Apple Cube on Fifth Avenue, seele operates at the intersection of engineering precision and architectural innovation. On these complex global sites, safety communication must be fast, intuitive, and universally understood.
Brought in via the Munich-based illustration agency DieKleinert, I was tasked with developing a scalable, language-neutral visual communication system, starting with the creation of a new mascot character: OSKAR — a safety-savvy construction worker designed to model both correct and incorrect on-site behavior.
Creative Objectives
- Develop a reusable character aligned with seele’s safety culture and visual identity
- Translate complex safety rules into intuitive, text-free illustrations
- Balance warmth, technical accuracy, and instant readability
- Ensure scalability across signage, print, and digital training materials
- Enhance behavior-based safety (BBS) awareness through visual storytelling
Approach & Visual Language
At the heart of the system is OSKAR — an expressive, friendly construction worker drawn in a clean, vector-based style.
Each scene shows OSKAR engaging with common industrial and construction-site scenarios:
forklift operation • PPE use • lifting technique • welding • chemical handling • sun protection • posture • coordination • fall prevention
Each illustration contrasts correct and incorrect behaviors with clear visual cues, humor, and emotional expression — helping viewers recognize risks and remember best practices.
The result is a universal visual language adaptable across multilingual teams, used in training materials, signage, and internal safety campaigns worldwide.
Disciplines & Deliverables
- Character Design & Branding — Creation of OSKAR, a modular mascot for safety training and communication
- Industrial & Safety Illustration — Vector artwork showing correct/incorrect procedures and hazard scenarios
- Visual Storytelling & Communication — Behavior-based design to engage teams across cultures and literacy levels
- Tools & Workflow — Adobe Illustrator, storyboarding, and format optimization for print and digital deployment
Client & Collaboration
Client: seele GmbH (Gersthofen, Germany)
Agency: DieKleinert Illustration Agency (Munich)
Art Direction: In collaboration with seele’s internal communications and safety teams
Result:
A modular, language-independent visual system that supports seele’s mission of promoting clarity, precision, and safety across its global architectural projects.
Ian David Marsden
Creative Director & Illustrator
