Those who have felt the ache of a dancing pony-shaped hole in their lives will be cheered by mobile phone specialist Three’s latest ad campaign

Three Silly Stuff ad features a young girl riding a bicycle while animatedly mouthing the words to 1980s power anthem We Built This City, accompanied by a trilling cat – it’s enough to drag a smile and foot tap from the most cynical of quirky-ad viewers.

Those who have felt the ache of a dancing pony-shaped hole in their lives will be cheered by mobile phone specialist Three’s latest ad campaign, which has viral phenomenon written all over it.

The ad features a young girl riding a bicycle while animatedly mouthing the words to 1980s power anthem We Built This City, accompanied by a trilling cat - it’s enough to drag a smile and foot tap from the most cynical of quirky-ad viewers.

The concept calls on the public’s love affair with downloading and sharing obscure content online. The final strap encouraging: “we all need silly stuff” is reminiscent of the absurdist theme of Three’s 2013 moonwalking Shetland pony ad.

Meanwhile, associated website SingItKitty.co.uk allows users to upload a mugshot and present themselves singing along to the track before sharing the results on social media.

Three’s advert is funny and addictive, but Mark Lund, managing partner at Now Advertising Agency, suggests a specific product offer or claim could have driven sales harder. He says: “Three has long been a sophisticated, meme-aware advertiser, working on the assumption that with a young audience, being noticed and liked may be more important than having a differentiating message.

“Last year’s moonwalking Shetland played the trick brilliantly - to the tune of 8 million YouTube views and a host of good feeling. But living by the meme sword is a dangerous business.

“The kitty is good but it’s not quite as splendid as the pony - and in the absence of anything else to say or sell, that makes it a bit disappointing.”