Jeep's advertising formula has been more or less consistent over the years: lots of mud, sand and river crossings. Throw in a flapping American flag and maybe some World War II footage for good measure.

Lately, though, the brand has injected some sex jokes and dark humor — and discovered a new spokeswoman of sorts in the comedian Iliza Shlesinger — as it pushes out several new and refreshed models and attempts to kickstart languid sales.

Shlesinger stars in an offbeat ad campaign for the updated Grand Wagoneer SUV called "The Real Deal...ership" that's running during March Madness. She takes customers on test drives and along the way spits coffee, tosses a baby stroller, and references a centaur and she-wolf making love.

It's her second Grand Wagoneer ad of late. The first, last fall, was a riff on how the full-size family hauler was hailed as the "best car to have sex in" in a post by the car site Jalopnik. "Room for the family, or room to make one," is the ad's catchphrase for the three-row SUV — or as Jeep Chief Family Officer Shlesinger suggests they rename it: the "Grand Shagoneer."

"We got to have a lot of fun, and we got to make a different kind of car commercial that I don't think you get to see a lot," Shlesinger said on a recent call with reporters. "It was really funny, and it got people talking, which is the whole goal in this game of advertising."

The latest Grand Wagoneer ad follows another off-the-wall Jeep campaign for its new Cherokee last month. That ad doesn't feature Shlesinger, but rather a Big Mouth Billy Bass talking fish that is taken to the river, where it is chomped by a bear, and then an eagle, all while a little boy watches in horror. You can "stay safe" inside the Cherokee, quips the ad, listing off the SUV's 140 safety features. "But outside? You're on your own."

The brand also earlier released a light-hearted spot for its updated Jeep Grand Cherokee, which includes plenty of AI-generated talking animals — including a goose that discusses driving the SUV down south to Orlando: "Mind if I give 'er a rip?"

As for the recent Grand Wagoneer ad campaign, Stellantis Global Chief Marketing Officer Olivier Francois said the idea was to try something different than what just about all full-size SUV ads focus on these days — themes including luxury, roominess, comfort, technology and family.

"How do you speak family and at the same time give the Grand Wagoneer a tone, a personality, a voice, and something that's not a minivan?" he said.

The first Shlesinger ad was a hit, Francois said — an extended version has 11 million views on YouTube — and so Jeep decided to bring her back for a sequel, using the same offbeat and raunchy tone as the first, with the comedian this time selling Grand Wagoneers on the dealership floor. The spot was directed by Jody Hill, who has comedy show credits including "Vice Principals" as well as "The Righteous Gemstones," where he'd previously worked with Shlesinger.

Jeep CEO Bob Broderdorf, who has been in the role about a year, told reporters on a call last week that he wants to run a brand that has fun and takes some risks, including in its advertising.

"We had big ambitions for this product (Grand Wagoneer), and obviously the campaign certainly attempts to do that ... It's sort of that fresh attitude for Jeep, and we just keep coming," he said.

Executives wouldn't disclose how much they plan to spend with the latest Grand Wagoneer spot, but noted it would run throughout March Madness and in other prominent broadcast placements through April and into May. Francois said he sees major potential in continuing to build on the brand's tie to the comedian: "I really hope we will continue."

Shlesinger said she enjoyed bringing her style of comedy to a new venue.

"And the more rewarding part is, and the validating part is, that people thought it was funny," she said. "You know, if it was just sexy, that may have fallen flat."

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