Brand value: $14.5 billion
Consumer perception rank: 26

The L'Oreal Group is the largest cosmetics and beauty company in the world. The L'Oreal brand represents roughly half of the company's consumer segment and is also a major part of its professional division. The company spent $8.6 billion on advertising and promotions last year.

Brand value: $20.3 billion
Consumer perception rank: 84

Wal-Mart is the world's largest private employer with 2.2 million employees. Wal-Mart scores poorly on consumer perception, but the retail behemoth, with $447 billion in sales, is the second largest company in the world by revenue after Royal Dutch Shell.

Brand value: $18.6 billion
Consumer perception rank: 61

Budweiser (including Bud Light) is the biggest brand for Anheuser-Busch InBev. Bud is now the No. 3 beer brand in the U.S. behind Bud Light and Coors Light, as volume in the U.S. shrank for the 23rd straight year in 2011. The brand has made strides internationally under AB InBev's watch. Global volume grew 3.1% in 2011 and the brand is now the world's fifth largest brand (Bud Light ranks No. 2). Bud derives 44% of its sales from outside the U.S.

Brand value: $15.5 billion
Consumer perception rank: 28

Nokia's brand value is down 43% the past two years as mobile phones like Apple's iPhone and devices running Google's Android operating system have dominated the market. Nokia's global market share of phones was 19.9% in the second quarter, down from 36.9% five years earlier, according to research firm Gartner.

Brand value: $24.1 billion
Consumer perception rank: 96
AT&T cut add ad spending 21% in the U.S. last year, but still ranks as the fifth biggest advertiser with a $2.4 billion budget. General dissatisfaction with phone companies kept AT&T's perception scores low, but as the largest communications holding company in the world by revenue, the brand is among the most valuable.

Brand value: $17.4 billion
Consumer perception rank: 27

Nescafe is the largest brand for Swiss food giant Nestle. The instant coffee brand derives its name from "Nestle" and "cafe." The coffee originated in Brazil in the 1930s as an using Nestle's expertise in milk processing to develop the instant coffee. Its popularity spread with the U.S. military during World War II.

Brand value: $20.9 billion
Consumer perception rank: 62

Honda sold 1 million vehicles in the U.S. last year, which was fourth highest among all car brands. Honda is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world.

Brand value: $16.8 billion
Consumer perception rank: 14

The Gillette product line of razors and personal care products became part of Procter & Gamble when P&G bought the company in 2005. Razors are one of the most profitable businesses for P&G with operating margins of 29%. Gillette pays $7 million annually for the naming rights to Gillette Stadium, which houses the New England Patriots of the NFL.

Brand value: $24.5 billion
Consumer perception rank: 93

Louis Vuitton is the world's most valuable luxury brand and is a division of LVMH. Its products include leather goods, handbags, trunks, shoes, watches, jewelry and accessories. Most of these are adorned with the LV monogram. Recent product endorsers of the brand include Angelina Jolie, Muhammad Ali and Michael Phelps.

Brand value: $21.8 billion
Consumer perception rank: 54

Mercedes focuses its sponsorships in three areas: golf, tennis and fashion week in New York. The median household income for a Mercedes buyer is $185,000 and all three sponsorship areas allow Mercedes to reach a high-end clientele.

Brand value: $18.3 billion
Consumer perception rank: 13

The value of the Hewlett-Packard brand is down 22% over the past two years after being tarnished by management turmoil and disappointing growth. HP is still the biggest PC vendor with a global market share of 16.9% in the second quarter according to research firm Gartner.

Brand value: $21.9 billion
Consumer perception rank: 37

Toyota's reputation took a hit with massive recalls in 2009 and 2010. The value of the brand is down 10% since 2010, but still rates as the second most valuable car brand behind BMW.

Brand value: $19 billion
Consumer perception rank: 8

The Disney brand resonates through its movies, 43 parks worldwide, $3 billion consumer products division and the Disney Channel. The largest shareholder of Walt Disney is the trust of the late Steve Jobs, who acquired the shares when Disney purchased Pixar Animation in 2006 for $7.4 billion.

Brand value: $19.3 billion
Consumer perception rank: 9

Samsung has promoted its brand through the Olympics since it was a local sponsor at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games in its home country. It became a worldwide partner in 1997. The brand ranks fourth overall among consumers on "innovative ideas and research."

Brand value: $25.9 billion
Consumer perception rank: 50

Oracle keeps traditional advertising to a minimum with only $79 million spent in the U.S. last year. It does get a bump from co-founder and CEO, Larry Ellison, who splashes the Oracle name on the boat of his America's Cup team. Oracle Team USA won the 2010 America's Cup and will defend its title on the San Francisco Bay in 2013. Ellison is the world's third richest person worth $41 billion.