George Masters enjoys creating motion graphics, so just for fun, he created a short animated ad featuring the iPod digital audio player. He posted the animation to his site, where it generated moderate traffic. Then some bloggers wrote about it and the word spread to the point that it was viewed more than 37,000 times in a matter of days.

In addition to proving the concept that bloggers spread the word with unparalleled speed, the ad also has generated more buzz about homemade ads; some think it’s the Next Big Thing, including Wired News, which has a report on the trend. The piece claims “Homemade ads will play a big part in marketing, just like blogging is shaking up the news.”

While it’s true that homemade ads will continue to grow, I can see as many companies hating it as loving it. How would your organization feel about a fan assuming control of the brand? When I worked at Mattel, the company maintained a Barbie Bible, a listing of everything that could and couldn’t be said about Barbie. A fan with a knack for Flash programming doesn’t have access to that Bible and could easily produce an ad that violates one or more of its key provisions. As much as companies might be excited about homemade ads spreading through the viral network, they should also keep an eye on them for their possible negative effects.

Incidentally, the Wired News piece quotes CoopeKatz VP and Micropersuasion author “Bruce Rubel.” Another sterling example of accuracy in reporting.