Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) is a standard that allows organizations to display their brand logo next to authenticated emails in inboxes that support it (like Gmail, Yahoo, Apple Mail, and others).

There are two levels of logo display with BIMI:

Logo only (free setup, but limited support)
Logo with a verified checkmark (requires a Verified Mark Certificate, or VMC)

✅ Displaying Your Logo Only (No Checkmark)

You do not need to purchase anything to display just your logo using BIMI. Here are the key requirements:

Requirements

✅

BIMI-compliant SVG logo

• Must be SVG Tiny 1.2
• No JavaScript, animation, raster images
• Square, visible at small size

✅

Public HTTPS URL for the logo

Host the logo somewhere your email providers can fetch it over HTTPS.

✅

DMARC policy set to quarantine or reject

Example DMARC record:

v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com;

✅

BIMI DNS TXT record

Example:

default._bimi.example.com TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/logo.svg;"

🟨 Important Note

• Some mailbox providers (like Yahoo or Fastmail) may display the logo without a VMC, depending on your domain's reputation.
• Others (notably Gmail) will not display the logo at all without a VMC, even if all the above steps are complete.

✅✔️ Displaying Logo with Checkmark (Verified Badge)

To display your logo along with a checkmark (e.g., in Gmail, Apple Mail, etc.), you must purchase and configure a VMC.

Additional Requirements for Checkmark

✅

All the basic BIMI requirements above

✅

Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)

• Must be purchased from an approved Certificate Authority (e.g., DigiCert or Entrust)
• Validates your legal right to use the logo

✅

Trademarked logo

Your logo must be registered as a trademark (e.g., with the USPTO or EUIPO)

✅

Updated BIMI DNS TXT record

Example:

default._bimi.example.com TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/logo.svg; a=https://example.com/vmc.pem;"

💰 Cost Breakdown

Item	Logo Only	Logo + Checkmark
BIMI-compliant SVG	Free	Free
Hosting the logo	Free	Free
DMARC setup	Free	Free
Trademark registration	❌ Not Required	✅ Required
Verified Mark Certificate	❌ Not Required	✅ Required (~$1,000+/year)

🔍 Summary Comparison

Feature / Requirement	Logo Only (Free)	Logo + Checkmark (VMC)
BIMI SVG Logo	✅ Required	✅ Required
Public HTTPS logo URL	✅ Required	✅ Required
DMARC (quarantine/reject)	✅ Required	✅ Required
BIMI DNS Record	✅ Required	✅ Required
Trademarked Logo	❌ Not Required	✅ Required
Verified Mark Certificate	❌ Not Required	✅ Required
Gmail support	❌ Usually hidden	✅ Full support
Yahoo / Fastmail support	✅ Likely visible	✅ Fully supported

🎯 TL;DR

• You can show your logo for free using BIMI if your email is DMARC-authenticated and your domain is reputable — but only some providers (e.g., Yahoo) will display it.
• You must purchase a VMC and have a trademarked logo to get logo + checkmark, and for visibility in Gmail and Apple Mail.

🔐 VMC and Logo Binding Explained

Is the VMC PEM File Based on the Logo?

Yes, the PEM file (Verified Mark Certificate) issued by a provider like DigiCert is cryptographically bound to both:

Your organization's legal identity
A specific, trademarked SVG logo

When a VMC is issued:

• The CA (e.g., DigiCert) verifies your legal entity and logo ownership.
• The logo must match a registered trademark.
• The final VMC (PEM format) includes metadata tying it to that logo.

This means the VMC is not reusable across different logos or brands.

Can You Change the Logo in the BIMI Record?

🟢 You can:

Change the URL or hosting location of the logo in your BIMI DNS record, as long as the image content is identical to what the VMC certifies.

🔴 You cannot:

• Change the actual logo graphic (e.g., color, shape, font) without reissuing the VMC.
• Use a different image or a non-trademarked variant — it will break verification and stop displaying in inboxes like Gmail.

If you need to use a different logo:

Ensure the new logo is trademarked.
Request a new VMC issuance for that logo.
Update the BIMI DNS record with both the new l= (logo URL) and new a= (VMC URL).

🧠 Summary

Question	Answer
Is the VMC PEM tied to the logo?	✅ Yes, cryptographically tied to the exact SVG logo and your trademark
Can you change the logo in BIMI DNS?	⚠️ Only if the image is identical; changing the graphic invalidates the VMC
How to update to a new logo?	🔄 Re-issue the VMC with the new trademarked logo

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📨 BIMI: Displaying Your Logo in Email Inboxes