Not just for laughs: 3D cartoons give Kenyan businesses winning edge

The bleary-eyed caveman is furious. He's been waiting for ages for a file to download only to be failed by slow internet speeds. Frustrated, he slaps his computer screen and then slumps down defeated on his seat.

Behind him, another caveman connected to high-speed internet pokes fun at him. Showing off, he clicks a button and downloads his favorite song in just a couple of seconds before bursting into a highly entertaining dance.

Featuring what has become one of Kenya's most popular TV characters, this catchy and memorable 3D ad for the Faiba internet service went viral in the East African country when it was first aired last year. And this was exactly what animator Michael Muthiga hoped to achieve when he created it for Kenyan telecommunications operator Jamii Telecommunications Limited (JTL).

"Firstly, it was the fact that it was a new medium of advertising and people didn't expect it," says Muthiga, director at Fatboy Animations, citing the reasons for the ad's popularity.