Royal Stag sold 12.3 million cases in 2011, toppling Absolut Vodka, to become Pernod Ricard's biggest selling brand in its global portfolio of alcoholic beverages.

The two companies later split Seagram's business based on the previously announced framework agreement signed between them and Royal Stag became a Pernod Ricard brand.

[17] In the Indian whisky market, Barrel Select is positioned between the deluxe and premium segment occupied by the company's Royal Stag and Blenders Pride brands respectively.

CARTILS felt it was necessary to retain brand familiarity whilst elevating Barrel Select to a more premium level than Royal Stag, to avoid portfolio cannibalisation.

[19][20][21] Royal Stag is placed in the deluxe segment of the Indian whisky market and is priced to target the upper middle class aged 25–40 years.

[27] Pernod Ricard has identified Royal Stag along with Imperial Blue, Blenders Pride, Chivas Regal and 100 Pipers as the company's five core brands to build its spirits business in India.

Advertising alcoholic beverages is banned in India as per the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Amendment Bill, which came into effect on 8 September 2000.

[32] In 2006, a Royal Stag advert featuring Harbhajan Singh without his turban, with his hair tumbling down over his shoulders, outraged orthodox Sikhs, who burnt effigies in the city of Amritsar.

"[34] A Royal Stag ad in 2011 featuring Harbhajan Singh, showed him opting to not work in his father's ball bearing factory and focus on cricket instead.

"[36] Harbhajan served a legal notice to United Spirits Ltd on 18 July 2011 claiming that the commercial mocked him, his family and the Sikh community.

[39] In 2002, Seagram signed eight cricketers to endorse Royal Stag, including Harbhajan Singh (India), Marvan Atapattu (Sri Lanka), Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Glenn McGrath (Australia), Jonty Rhodes (South Africa), Mervyn Dillon (West Indies), Stephen Fleming (New Zealand), and Andy Flower (Zimbabwe).

[40] Following this contract, in 2004, Pakistan Civil Court ruled that Wasim Akram had hurt sentiments of Muslims and was fined 25,000 Pakistani rupees (£238) and ordered to apologize the nation.

According to Bikram Basu, vice-president, marketing, Seagram India, "The TVC [television commercial] intends to further strengthen the brand's positioning of "Make it Large".

It targets the party loving youth of the country, who aspire to make it large in every aspect of their lives and communicates the brand message in a truly fast-paced and international way.

"[43] On 10 February 2010, Pernod Ricard India announced that it had signed Shahrukh Khan, for an undisclosed amount, as the brand ambassador for Royal Stag, for a period of one year.

[44] In April 2013, social activist T Satish Kumar and student leader Banoth Amru Naik, from the Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh, filed a complaint with the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) against Telugu film actor Mahesh Babu for endorsing Royal Stag.

[45] In 2014 Pernod Ricard India announced its signing of Bollywood actors Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor as brand ambassadors.

General manager of Marketing Raja Banerjee said that, "We firmly believe that the dynamic duo represents the dreams of this country and therefore would reinforce our brand positioning".