The BrandFinance Global 500 is an annual report that provides a comprehensive table of published brand values in the world. The report includes data from listed companies globally and each brand has been accorded a brand rating and a brand value. This year, the total Enterprise Value decreased by 0.4%, but the brand values of the Global 500 saw an overall growth of 3.3% to US $3,415 billion. The European sovereign debt crisis continued to affect brand values in Europe, which saw a decline in brand value by -7% to US $1,080 billion. The banking industry also saw 16 European banks appear in the Top 20 'fallers' in this year's report. The report highlights the importance of understanding brand equity and brand value when making strategic decisions.
