IT’S TIME TO TAKE BACK THE INBOX


Display your logo in your customers' inboxes and deliver a better, more secure email experience


‘Verified Mark Certificate’

Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)

A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is a digital certificate issued by a certificate authority to confirm ownership of a logo. To qualify for a VMC, your logo must first be a registered trademark.

Having a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) assures that your organization legally owns the branded logo. Utilizing a logo with a VMC serves as a deterrent against spammers and malicious users attempting to misuse logos they don't rightfully possess. A logo registered as a trademark is more resistant to spoofing or forging, as it undergoes verification by the trademark organization.

While obtaining a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is not obligatory, numerous email clients, such as Gmail, mandate a VMC for displaying your brand logo prominently in the inbox.

What is BRAND INDICATOR FOR MESSAGE IDENTIFICATION (BIMI)?

BIMI, or Brand Indicators for Message Identification, represents an emerging standard facilitating the inclusion of registered trademarks within email clients. This simplifies the process for organizations to showcase their brand logos in emails.

The development of BIMI guidelines aimed to foster a more secure email ecosystem by expediting the adoption of DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) and encouraging brands to implement DMARC effectively. This encouragement takes the form of a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), allowing a verified logo from an organization to be prominently displayed in an inbox. To implement BIMI at the highest level of validation, organizations need a VMC issued by an authorized certification authority, such as Entrust, alongside a DMARC policy set to 100% quarantine or reject.

VMCs boost email engagement

21%

increase in open rates positively impacts both transactional and promotional emails.

18%

increase in brand recall after a five-second exposure – and the stronger the brand, the higher the recall increase.

34%

increase in brand recall after a five-second exposure – and the stronger the brand, the higher the recall increase.

WHY VMC?

Brand Recognized

Deliver brand recognition and authenticity to the customer's inbox.

Brand Consistency

Take control of the brand image that appears on email communications

Stand Out

Have your message stand out in a busy inbox.

Brand Impressions

Significantly increase the number of brand impressions by having your logo alongside every email

Become DMARC Compliant

Prevent email spoofing with DMARC technology.

HOW TO GET YOUR VMC IN 4 - EASY STEPS:

Check DMARC and BIMI Compliance:

  • DMARC: Check the current status of your domains. To qualify for a VMC, you must have a DMARC record with “p=quarantine” or “p=reject.”
  • BIMI: Add BIMI TXT record for domain(s) into the DNS

Register your brand logo as a trademark:

To be eligible for a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), your brand logo needs to be officially registered as a trademark with an intellectual property office acknowledged by VMC issuers. If you have access to a legal team, we suggest collaborating with them to either initiate the trademarking process for your logo or confirm its existing trademark status.

Ensure your logo is properly formatted:

Trademarked logo file formatted as an SVG with Tiny (1.2) profile, in a square aspect ratio.

Purchase Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) from reputable CA

  • Contact a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) that can issue a VMC. There will be a verification process to ensure the legitimacy of your brand.
  • Select a VMC: Consider your budget, email volume, and desired features.
Image

BIMI (BRAND INDICATOR FOR MESSAGE IDENTIFICATION)

  • BIMI is an emerging email specification that enables the use of brand-controlled logos within supporting email clients.
  • BIMI leverages the work an organization has put into deploying DMARC protection, by bringing brand logos to the customer’s inbox.
  • For the brand’s logo to be displayed, the email must pass DMARC authentication checks, ensuring that the organization’s domain has not been impersonated.
Image

What are Government Mark Certificates?

Government Mark Certificates are digital certificates that empower a government agency or department to showcase their authorized logo in email communications in accordance with BIMI guidelines.

Government Mark Certificates (GMCs) are available in the following jurisdictions:

  • All European countries
  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • India
  • Japan
  • New Zealand
  • South Korea
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

FAQ For Verified Mark Certificates