The short answer is yes, you can technically set up Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) to display your logo without a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). However, the reality is a bit more nuanced. Whether your logo actually appears in a recipient's inbox depends entirely on the policies of their mailbox provider, and many of the biggest players have made a VMC a mandatory part of the equation.
Think of it this way: BIMI is the framework that tells email clients where to find your logo, while a VMC is a separate certificate that proves you have the legal right to use that logo because it's a registered trademark. Some providers are happy to display the logo without that extra verification, while others are not.
How BIMI works without a VMC
The implementation of BIMI is the same whether you have a VMC or not. You publish a specific DNS record that points to your logo file, which must be in a secure SVG format. The main difference is that the record for a VMC-less setup simply omits the VMC file location. The BIMI Group, the body that standardizes the protocol, has acknowledged this path, noting that mailbox providers have the final say.
For a VMC-less setup to work, you still need to meet the other core requirements of BIMI:
- DMARC at enforcement: Your domain must have a DMARC policy of p=quarantine or p=reject. A policy of p=none is not sufficient.
- SVG Logo: You must have a properly formatted SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) file of your logo hosted at a publicly accessible URL.
- BIMI DNS Record: You need to publish the BIMI TXT record in your domain's DNS.
Which providers support BIMI without a VMC?
Support for BIMI without a VMC varies. As Twilio highlights, a VMC is only a requirement for certain mail providers. This means you can implement BIMI and have your logo display in some inboxes but not others. Generally, providers like Yahoo and AOL are known to support BIMI without a VMC.
However, the most significant provider, Gmail, requires a VMC to display a BIMI logo. Apple Mail also requires a VMC. Without it, your logo will not appear for Gmail or Apple users, which represents a massive portion of all email recipients. This is the primary reason why, for most brands, pursuing a VMC is essential for a successful BIMI implementation.
Why you should still get a VMC
While you can get started without a VMC, it's not the recommended long-term strategy. The VMC provides an essential layer of security and trust. It verifies that your organization legally owns the logo, which, as Gerben IP notes, helps protect your logo from being used by spammers and phishers.
Ultimately, skipping the VMC limits the reach and impact of your BIMI setup. You miss out on logo display in Gmail and Apple Mail, which significantly reduces the return on your investment. For a consistent and trustworthy brand presence across the widest possible range of inboxes, a VMC is not just recommended; it's a necessity.
