What are the requirements and alternatives for implementing BIMI with VMC certificates, especially regarding trademark jurisdiction and costs?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks clarifies that a trademark in the US or other accepted jurisdiction is required for a VMC. Publishing a logo is still possible without it, but it won't work in Google or iCloud.
Email marketer from Reddit shares a strategy of registering the trademark in a country with a faster and cheaper trademark process, then using that registration to apply for a VMC.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that a certificate is required for BIMI to work in Google and iCloud, and a trademark is needed from an accepted jurisdiction. Only Brazil is currently accepted from Latin America.
Email marketer from Mailhardener mentions that there are only two certificate authorities that can issue VMCs (Verified Mark Certificates), which are Entrust and DigiCert.
Email marketer from EmailGeeks shares that they publish BIMI without a VMC certificate because the cost is too high for the volume of emails they send.
Email marketer from Stackoverflow suggests that it can take time for the BIMI logo to display, even after correct implementation, due to caching or slow propagation of DNS records.
Email marketer from OnlyDomains mentions that the cost of a VMC can be a barrier for some organizations, as it's an annual expense on top of trademark registration fees. They suggest weighing the benefits against the cost, especially for smaller senders.
Email marketer from LinkedIn shares that BIMI implementation along with VMC increases brand trust and improves overall email marketing ROI.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares they publish BIMI without a certificate because the cost is too high for the volume of emails they send.
Email marketer from EmailOnAcid details the high-level steps to implement BIMI, including trademarking the logo, obtaining a VMC, creating an SVG version of the logo, and publishing the BIMI DNS record.
Email marketer from Valimail shares that even without a VMC, implementing BIMI with a published logo can still work in some email clients like Yahoo and Fastmail, providing brand recognition benefits, albeit limited.
Marketer from Email Geeks mentions registering a logo in Germany for its fast-track trademark option as a way to get a VMC quicker.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource shares that the adoption of BIMI has been slow due to the complexity and cost of obtaining a VMC, along with the limited number of email providers that currently support it.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that deploying BIMI without a certificate will still work in some places.
Expert from Email Geeks points to a video explaining VMC region limitations and suggests trademarking in a supported country as a solution.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that BIMI is limited by the requirements for a VMC (Verified Mark Certificate) and having a trademark that is registered in certain jurisdictions, making it inaccessible for many senders.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that the user is encountering edge cases. They suggest speaking to Digicert or Entrust about pushing VMC requirements, as they are the certificate authorities.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from BIMI Group explains the necessity of publishing a BIMI record in DNS, pointing to the location of the SVG logo file. The record needs to conform to specific syntax for email clients to validate and display the logo.
Documentation from Entrust details that to obtain a VMC, the trademark must be registered with an approved trademark office. They list specific jurisdictions that are currently accepted, emphasizing the need to verify eligibility before applying.
Documentation from DigiCert explains that a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is required to display a brand's logo in supporting email inboxes using BIMI. It confirms the organization's ownership of the logo and trademark.
Documentation from Let's Encrypt Community Support states that they do not offer Verified Mark Certificates (VMCs), which are required by Google and other major email providers to display a logo next to emails. They are unable to help with BIMI implementations.
Documentation from Red Sift provides a comprehensive list of accepted trademark jurisdictions for VMC eligibility, emphasizing that the trademark must be active and in good standing within one of those jurisdictions.