The problem with Indian companies is getting into too many businesses. The biggest single complaint we have about Indian companies is that they are in too many businesses. For eg, Tata makes automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, steel, tea, you name it. This is no way to build a brand. No, its quite the opposite.
Publicity builds brands and advertising maintains brands.
In your book on Internet branding, you said that the Internet was about interactivity. But in an interview, you said it was about information. They are both important. But the strength of the Internet is that information is presented in an interactive way. Absolutely, brands are even more important over the Internet, since the Internet lacks the visibility of the real world.