Old Spice ad campaign swarms YouTube, with some 180 videos uploaded this week

Old Spice ad campaign goes viral _ and then some

NEW YORK — In one of the largest viral video ad campaign ever launched, Old Spice is swarming YouTube.

The Procter & Gamble Co. brand released more than 180 videos featuring the campaign’s star, ex-football player Isaiah Mustafa (moo-STAH’-fah). In the videos, he responds personally to online queries or comments from various Web users and some famous ones, including Ellen DeGeneres and Alyssa Milano.

The videos, all of which feature Mustafa in a towel speaking directly to the camera, have been steadily released over the last few days. On Friday, they accounted for eight of the most popular 11 videos on YouTube and more than 21 million views in total.

The “Smell Like a Man” ad campaign was launched earlier this year by Portland, Ore.-based ad agency Wieden+Kennedy. The television spots have been popular and the first TV spot won a Cannes advertising festival award.

(This version CORRECTS spelling of Procter in Procter & Gamble.)