Can BIMI logos be animated and how do Google profile images interact with BIMI?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Val Geisler Website shares that while BIMI logos are static, Gmail allows you to set a profile image which can be a GIF, providing a workaround for animated logos in Gmail. This is not technically a BIMI feature.
Email marketer from Email on Acid mentions that BIMI helps display your logo next to authenticated emails but does not support animation. Google profile images are a separate entity and managed within Google account settings.
Email marketer from Mailosaur responds that the logo to be displayed depends on how a receiver has configured their mailbox. If they have BIMI enabled, this will be displayed instead of any avatar assigned on their Google account.
Email marketer from Mailjet says that BIMI uses a static SVG version of your logo. For clients using Google, their profile image will appear by default if there is no BIMI.
Email marketer from Email Geeks recommends using both BIMI with a VMC and a Google-profile based logo. There are several places in the Gmail interface where BIMI logos do not show, but Google-profile based ones do.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that BIMI logos require authentication and appear next to the 'from' address in email clients that support it. A Gmail profile picture is associated with the Google account and will show regardless of BIMI implementation.
Email marketer from Litmus clarifies that you can use both BIMI and a Gmail profile image. BIMI displays a verified logo if the email passes authentication, while the Google profile image is displayed regardless of BIMI, but in different locations (like the contact card).
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that BIMI is static, but the client may be seeing a Google Account/Profile image, which can be animated. However, it is unclear how long Google will support this.
Email marketer from OnlyB2B details that BIMI requires your logo to be a registered trademark and that the logo can't be animated. Your profile image and logo both increase trust.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow states that animated logos in email signatures are generally not supported using BIMI. Suggests exploring using animated GIFs within the body of the email as an alternative, but notes compatibility issues.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks states that BIMI will not support animated logos.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that BIMI and Google profiles operate in different areas within Gmail. BIMI appears in the message view next to the email address, while the Google profile image appears in the pop-up card/address book. They also emphasize that BIMI is MBP agnostic, whereas a Google profile image only operates within the Google ecosystem.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Google Profile Images in Gmail can be animated GIFs, while BIMI logos cannot. Al suggests using both, implementing the Gmail logo first, then BIMI, so the BIMI logo will replace it if the Gmail logo ever stops working.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that they have set up a GIF as the Google account profile picture for Spam Resource emails, which animates subtly in Gmail or G-Suite. They also suggest implementing BIMI without VMC initially, then creating the Gmail sender logo, and finally obtaining BIMI with VMC.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Google Support clarifies how to change a Google Workspace profile picture, which can be a GIF. The profile picture shows up in various Google services, including Gmail, and is separate from BIMI.
Documentation from Fastmail says while BIMI supports SVG images for logos, it does not support animation within those SVGs.
Documentation from DigiCert details that BIMI logos must be a registered trademark and validated by a VMC (Verified Mark Certificate). No mention is made of animation, implying only static logos are accepted.
Documentation from BIMI Group Website explains that BIMI logos must be static SVG files. Animation is not supported in BIMI logos.