"Did the Old Spice campaign really work?" has become modern marketing's version of "Who lost China?" Camps are firmly established, and facts are selectively deployed. Old Spice says it's ecstatic with the results, and most independent analysis appears to back them up. Until now, Old Spice agency Wieden + Kennedy has generally stayed out of the effectiveness debate. But now the shop has released a video case history of the campaign, shown below, explaining how it sought to reach women and men simultaneously. It's mostly a sizzle reel of the spots, their many imitations and the campaign's impact in pop culture. W+K marshals an array of data points to buttress the it's-a-success side. The agency's video doesn't provide source citations for the facts, so I guess we'll put them in the "assertions" bucket. With that caveat, here are some of the key stats highlighted by the agency:

• Old Spice accounted for 75 percent of conversations in the category in the first three months of 2010.
• Half the conversations came from women.
• The YouTube/Twitter social media response campaign was "the fastest-growing and most popular interactive campaign in history."
• More people watched its videos in 24 hours than those who watched Obama's presidential victory speech. (Which most of us can agree is kinda sad.)
• Total video views reached 40 million in a week.
• Campaign impressions: 1.4 billion.
• Since the campaign launched, Old Spice Bodywash sales are up 27 percent; in the last three months up. 55 percent; and in the last month up 107 percent.

UPDATE: The video has been removed from YouTube after a copyright claim by W+K. It was apparently not supposed to be released to the public. We'll post an alternative clip if possible.

UPDATE 2: Here's a new version. Enjoy.