What is a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)? A Detailed Guide

Display Authenticated Logos in Emails Using Verified Mark Certificate backed by DMARC and BIMI

A Verified Mark certificate (VMC) is a means for brands to display their officially trademarked logo and sender name in email inboxes. It offers confidence and assures recipients that the email is authentic.

When users recognize a known logo, they open and interact with the email more easily. To be qualified for a VMC, the company has to pass rigid security requirements. One key requirement is that the domain should achieve complete compliance with DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance).

VMCs are supported by prominent email services such as Gmail and Apple Mail, making them a significant factor in brand exposure. The implementation of VMC helps businesses to improve their email open rates together with brand visibility while protecting against email phishing.

As the number of email frauds are increasing day-by-day, VMCs are becoming important for businesses to build credibility with users and improve brand awareness.

What is a Verified Mark Certificate and How Does it Help with Brand Authentication?

A Verified Mark Certificate or a BIMI Email certificate validates the ownership of a registered trademark. Issued by a Certificate Authority (CA), it allows the official logo of a company to appear alongside the sender’s name in inbox views.

VMCs work in conjunction with BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification). It becomes an immediate trust indicator, making your emails easily perceived by your audience as they are easily recognizable and trustworthy from one glance. VMC certificate improves brand recognition and boost email engagement.

Several major email providers support VMCs, including:

1. Gmail
2. Apple Mail
3. Yahoo Mail
4. Fastmail
5. Zoho Mail
6. La Poste
7. Onet
8. Cloudmark
9. Zoner
10. au.com

BIMI VMC certificate helps prevent phishing attempts and email spoofing by displaying authenticated logo in the email. This way your audience will be able to differentiate between real and fake emails, thereby reducing the chances of falling for scams.

When you purchase a VMC email certificate, you will receive it as a .pem file. Here’s how it will look:

$ cat bimi_vmc.pem
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIILZTCCCU2gAwIBAgIQDZOioApcXGnRJP7rbVT4lTANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQsFADBf
MQswCQYDVQQGEwJVUzEXMBUGA1UEChMORGlnaUNlcnQsIEluYy4xNzA1BgNVBAMT
LkRpZ2lDZXJ0IFZlcmlmaWVkIE1hcmsgUlNBNDA5NiBTSEEyNTYgMjAyMSBDQTEw
[...]
-----END CERTIFICATE-----

You will need to deploy the VMC by hosting the .pem file on a publicly accessible web server. Following that, update the BIMI record by pointing it to the URL where the .pem file is hosted.

Key Features of a Verified Mark Certificate for Business Email

A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) offers several core features that make VMC logo identification an invaluable asset for businesses.

1. Trademark-Verified Logo Display

   VMC verified mark enables organizations to showcase their officially registered trademark logos within email inboxes. The BIMI logo must be in SVG Tiny PS (Portable/Secure) format, for a precise and crisp display across all devices and screen sizes.

2. BIMI Email Security with DMARC Compliance

   VMC email works alongside DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) to prevent domain spoofing and phishing attacks. Organizations must have an enforced DMARC policy (p=quarantine or p=reject). This way only authenticated emails are delivered to recipients.

3. Integration with BIMI

   BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) supports various email providers, including major platforms like Gmail and Yahoo supporting it. To comply with BIMI email authentication, organizations must publish a DNS TXT record. This increases visibility, reinforces sender legitimacy, and helps recipients easily recognize authentic communications.

4. Certificate Authority (CA) Validation

   A trusted CA verifies the organization’s ownership of the registered trademark before issuing a BIMI verified mark certificate. This validation process confirms that only legitimate brands can use this feature. Public CAs issuing VMCs follow CA/B Forum Guidelines and Baseline Requirements for certificate issuance.

5. Standardized Technical Specifications for Reliability

   VMC holds essential data for secure implementation. It includes domain authentication details, verified organization information, and trademarked logo specifications. These particulars assist with verification and correct presentation. They assist companies in distinguishing themselves while safeguarding against email phishing and fraud.

Why Should Organizations Use Verified Mark Certificates?

Verified Mark Certificates have become increasingly popular among enterprise and medium-size organizations. The key reason to get a VMC is that it helps meet the standards established by the leading email providers. Services like Google, Yahoo Mail, and FastMail support BIMI, so having BIMI verified certificate becomes essential for proper logo identification display in emails. Not adhering to these standards will affect your email visibility, and raise concerns about your alignment with industry security best practices.

Additionally, your marketing team pulls out several strings to build a solid email marketing strategy. Early adoption of VMC is a tactic that helps your emails stand out as authentic from competitors. With increased awareness about email security, people prefer to open emails from brands they recognize. So, your logo helps in remembering your brand, and this increases the open-click rates.

What is BIMI and How It Displays Your Logo in Inboxes?

BIMI represents Brand Indicators for Message Identification. It is a specification for emails that enables logos to appear in inboxes to build connection between customers and brands. VMC adds further credibility because only trademark owners can display their logos.

How do BMI and VMC Work Together?

1. In order to become BIMI compliant, the company creates and publishes a new DNS record, which includes a URL to its SVG logo.
2. The mailbox provider checks that the domain has a DMARC policy set.
3. The provider then looks for BIMI DNS record. This record is a batch of text containing the URL for your brand’s logo and information on VMC that you have.
4. The server fetches the logo from the URL specified in the BIMI l= tag, confirming that the organization owns it.
5. If the BIMI record includes a VMC, the server verifies the VMC’s authenticity and validity using the Certificate Authority’s digital signature.
6. If the records match and the mailbox provider support BIMI, then the verified logo gets displayed.

The Benefits of Verified Mark Certificates (VMCs) for Email Security

VMCs not only authenticate your emails but also create a more secure and visually distinct inbox experience for recipients. Here’s why you should get it:

1. Safety and Security with Email Authentication

   A VMC certificate provides an additional level of protection for your organization and its customers. It necessitates DMARC protocol alignment, which aids in safeguarding against phishing and email spoofing. When customers spot your brand logo in emails, they can quickly recognize genuine messages.

2. Better Corporate Reputation through Trusted Certificates

   A trusted certificate authority issues a VMC. This procedure includes confirming the authenticity of your business via documents issued by the government. Once confirmed, your business earns credibility and trust. This helps in building your reputation, resulting in additional customers and greater business prospects.

3. Safeguard Brand Identity and Intellectual Property

   When your email logo is officially registered with your organization, others cannot use it without authorization. Improper use may result in legal consequences, prohibiting the abuse of your brand’s identity.

4. Maximize ROI through Improved Email Interactions

   Utilizing VMCs improves email interactions and customer conversions, resulting in a more favorable return on investment. According to a Consumer Interaction with Visual Brands in Email Report, emails with VMCs witnessed a 21% increase in open rates and a 34% boost in the purchase likelihood.

Steps to Get a VMC for Your Business

Obtaining a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) for your company is easy if you adhere to these instructions:

Step 1: Implement DMARC Authentication Protocol

Your domain must be DMARC compliant, which involves implementing Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance. Your DMARC record must contain “p=quarantine” or “p=reject”. Without this, your emails won’t meet the BIMI and VMC requirements. Utilize free online tools to verify your domain’s DMARC status.

Step 2: Register Your Logo as a Trademark

Your logo must be a legally registered trademark with the appropriate office for your geographic region. Contact your nearby trademark office to register it. The procedure can differ by area, so be sure to check and finalize the trademark process.

Step 3: Prepare Your Logo in SVG Tiny PS Format

The logo file used in your VMC certificate must be an SVG file that adheres to the SVG Tiny Portable/Secure (SVG Tiny PS) format. You may need to use a specific conversion tool or manually edit the SVG file. This specification is required for BIMI compliance and VMC validation.

Step 4: Purchase a VMC from a Certificate Authority

Buy Verified Mark Certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) like DigiCert. Most organizations need only one certificate for their domain, but if you use multiple logos, you must buy VMCs for all of them.

Then, you will have to follow a detailed procedure to complete the validation.

Step 5: Complete the Validation Process

You’ll go through a validation process, which includes:

1. Verifying your logo is a registered trademark.
2. Submitting notarized copies of ID documents for the individual from your organization who is applying for the VMC.
3. Participating in an in-person or video call with a member of the certificate authority’s validation team to verify that your identity matches the submitted ID documents.

Step 6: Install the VMC on Your Mail Servers

After your VMC is issued, you’ll receive an email containing your entity certificate Privacy Enhanced Mail (PEM) file. Note the file’s URL after uploading your PEM file to your public web server.

Step 7: Update Your BIMI DNS Record

Add a BIMI TXT record in your domain’s DNS. The record should contain the URL pointing to your SVG Tiny PS logo.

Where Can I Get a VMC Certificate for Business?

You can get a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) for your business through authorized providers like DigiCert. SSL2BUY also offers VMCs through partners such as DigiCert, so your businesses receive verified, high-assurance certificates that meet BIMI compliance standards. DigiCert stands among the premier TLS/SSL, IoT, and PKI providers and holds the unique position to distribute trusted VMCs. Select a provider who provides validation services, trademark verification along with compliance assistance for streamlining the implementation process.

Conclusion

To sum up, Verified Mark Certificates (VMCs) provide cryptographic proof that an organization owns a registered trademark, allowing email providers to display its logo in supported inboxes. Companies benefit from VMCs because they build trust with customers while raising engagement rates through email. Businesses operating in e-commerce, finance, and professional services require VMCs as they strongly depend on email correspondence.

For qualification, businesses need to adhere to DMARC trademark their logos and meet BIMI requirements. Given the increasing prevalence of cyber threats, implementing VMCs is now essential rather than optional. A VMC safeguards your brand while boosting email deliverability and increasing customer engagement. Leading brands have already adopted this technology to maintain an edge over rivals.