When registering for BIMI with Gmail, why can I only select one territory for my trademark details?
Summary
What email marketers say8Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that you only need to choose one jurisdiction for VMC so they can verify you own the logo. They suggest choosing the jurisdiction of your HQ, but confirm you can choose any.
Email marketer from StackExchange indicates that the trademark jurisdiction must match the VMC jurisdiction to ensure legal validity and prevent fraudulent use of logos in email marketing.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that the limitation stems from the need to tie the VMC to a specific legal jurisdiction for trademark enforcement purposes. It is linked with where the trademark office validated the logo.
Email marketer from EmailAuth.Guru Forum suggests that the single territory selection is related to how trademark validation is handled. Each certification authority needs to validate the trademark within a specific legal jurisdiction, so you pick the territory most relevant to your email campaigns.
Email marketer from EmailGeeks Community suggests contacting the VMC provider for clarification on the best jurisdiction to use if your trademark is registered in multiple regions, but defaulting to HQ region.
Email marketer from Quora explains that you can select only one territory because the VMC is a digital certificate that verifies your legal right to use the logo in that specific region. Select the territory that matters most for email campaigns.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Subreddit shares that if your trademark is registered in multiple countries, select the country where the majority of your customers are located or where your headquarters are situated for the VMC application.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that VMCs are issued on a jurisdiction basis. Therefore, the VMC needs to match one of the jurisdictions for which the trademark is registered.
What the experts say2Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource explains that the VMC process is tied to the legal jurisdiction where the trademark is registered and enforced. Therefore, you must select a single territory that matches your trademark registration to ensure proper validation.
Expert from Word to the Wise Staff explains that the single territory limitation is because trademark rights are generally territorial. A VMC verifies that you have the right to use the logo in a specific jurisdiction, necessitating the selection of a single territory.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from BIMI Group Website highlights that the VMC process requires verification against a specific trademark registry. Each registry operates within a defined territory, hence the limitation to a single territory.
Documentation from DigiCert Website indicates that VMCs are jurisdiction-specific because the certificate authority validates the trademark against a particular country's trademark office. This ensures legal compliance and accurate verification.
Documentation from Entrust.com specifies that the VMC must be issued by an approved certification authority for the jurisdiction where the trademark is registered. This inherently limits the selection to one territory.