Bezzy is a cuddly data centre toy – until you turn on its sound. Bezzy makes the real ear-piercing sound of an AI data centre, recorded by a resident in Virginia, USA. It is the most surprising record launch promo possible. And that’s important. The toy is part of Adopt A Data Center, a satirical project that looks at the gap between the stories of progress we’re sold by big tech, and what communities actually experience. It was created by New York creative studio, Basura, for electronic music artists, Big Data, to celebrate its upcoming album, 4.0. Big Data, an unconventional New York electronic and electropop music project created by producer, Alan Wilkis. Big Data makes music about the evolving relationship between humans and machines.

Basura founder, Rajeev Basu, took The Stable behind the scenes of Bezzy’s birth and purpose. Rajeev Basu has a history of producing unexpected creative ideas that light up in culture. He was a VP at Maximum Effort, running Wrexham AFC for Ryan Reynolds; one of the first creative directors at Spotify as it was getting going in the US; and a senior creative at Wieden NY, where he created the Equinox “Commit to Something” campaign.

The Stable: Where did the idea for Bezzy come from?  

Rajeev Basu: We wanted to explore AI’s growing impact on our lives. But while AI feels abstract and screen-based, the data centres behind it are giant and popping up everywhere. Before you know it, one could be in your own backyard. We’re constantly being told to embrace AI, so we thought we’d make that a little easier. So we created Bezzy, a cuddly data centre toy. Hug him and hear the ear-piercing sound of a real AI data centre.

The Stable: What was the aim for Big Data?

Rajeev Basu: Rather than a conventional album campaign, we wanted to make something that contributed to the conversation. We wanted to highlight the gap between the stories of progress we’re sold by Big Tech and what communities are actually experiencing all over the US (and the world). Satire was a good way to make this complex subject approachable. The cuddly toy, along with stickers and bumper stickers act as a hook to get people to the satirical Data Center Adoption site that’s filled with reporting, so folks can see the facts for themselves.

The Adopt the Data Center project launched with a full editorial feature on the front page of Wired.

The Stable: What was involved in producing Bezzy? 

Rajeev Basu: The project involved six months of research, and conversations with residents that live near AI data centres. The findings led us to the idea of Adopt a Data Center and a focus on the sound aspect. The sound recording in Bezzy comes from a resident living near an AI data center in Virginia, USA. Bezzy was inspired by Adopt-An-Animal plush toys that charities sell. In that same spirit, our toy invites you to lend your love to critical AI data infrastructure

The Bezzy toys are all handmade. Their round eyes, coy smile and long shaggy arms and legs bring the much-needed vulnerability that has been missing from AI data centres. The toy is deliberately designed not to look too new or slick, but instead to feel like a familiar friend who has always been around. Just like big tech messaging, every subtlety of the toy’s image is highly engineered. All the toys are handmade, and there’s a limited release of 20.

The Stable: Why did you get involved in this project?

Rajeev Basu: I’m the founder of Basura, a creative studio based in New York. We make statement pieces for brands, artists and ourselves. You may know us from such projects as Yerba Madre Dirt Shoes and The Hinge Phonebook. 

We take on only three to five projects a year, and partner directly with founders, CMOs and chief comms officers. Most of our work doesn’t resemble regular advertising, and performs better because of it. Our work often takes an anti-disciplinary approach and features dry humour. We have a track record of ideas that regularly make the news.