Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) Vs Common Mark Certificate (CMC): Difference to Know

What is a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)?

The Verified Mark Certificate gives organizations’ logos official recognition in recipients’ inboxes as part of the email message. This is part of the BIMI message specification to enhance email security and brand visibility.

To be eligible for a VMC, an organization must possess a legally registered trademark and have a strict DMARC policy against phishing and spoofing attacks.

In addition, Gmail gives VMC users a blue checkmark designation, a trustworthy visual signal, and an extra way to bolster their brand credibility.

A VMC will help a company establish customer trust and influence email engagement favorably. The verified logo acts as a large sticker to give recipients confidence that the email is trustworthy.

Also Read: What is a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)? Everything to Know About

This will assist with impersonating fraudulent emails and help lessen impersonation and fraudulent emails.

Brand security signals safeguard the brand and help increase open rates and engagement, ultimately increasing brand perception and marketing effectiveness.

Example of VMC

What is a Common Mark Certificate (CMC)?

A Common Mark Certificate (CMC) is a digital certificate allowing entities to show their brand logo next to the sender field in customers’ inboxes without registering a trademark.

Like the Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), CMC is supported by the BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) framework and offers better accessibility due to removing the trademark requirement.

To qualify for a CMC, the company must have a fully enforced DMARC policy and show evidence that its logo has been used for at least one year.

Also Read: What is a Common Mark Certificate (CMC)? Use Cases and Benefits Of CMC for BIMI Adoption

This condition makes CMCs suitable for companies willing to increase their email security and visibility of their brand while avoiding the formal trademark registration process.

Organizations deploying a CMC can enhance brand exposure and create reputation and trust among customers by displaying their logos in email.

While CMCs do not convey the blue verification check-mark feature that VMCs have, they nevertheless deliver very good protection against phishing attacks and work to outsmart spoofing attempts.

The visual brand presence in inboxes promotes improved engagement with marketing emails. It enhances brand reliability, further making CMCs a good solution for brands looking to support email security and marketing impact.

Example of CMC

Difference between VMC and CMC in Table form

Feature	Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)	Common Mark Certificate (CMC)
Logo Requirement	Requires a registered trademark for the brand logo	Allows use of a logo with prior use at least 12 months (no trademark needed)
Verification Badge	Displays a blue checkmark next to the logo in supported inboxes (e.g., Gmail)	No blue checkmark; only the logo is displayed
DMARC Compliance	Requires full DMARC compliance	Requires full DMARC compliance
Brand Visibility	Offers higher credibility with the blue checkmark	Provides brand visibility but without the checkmark
Accessibility	Best for brands with registered trademarks	Ideal for brands without trademarks or in early growth stages
Validation Process	Involves extended validation and trademark verification	Involves prior logo use validation without trademark checks
Cost	Typically higher due to trademark verification and blue badge	Generally more affordable due to simpler validation
Target Audience	Established brands with legal trademarks	Startups and SMEs without registered trademarks
Logo File Format	Requires SVG file in SVG-P/S profile	Requires SVG file in SVG-P/S profile

Conclusion

Give a boost to your email security and your brand name’s visibility by using DigiCert’s Mark Certificates, which include Verified Mark Certificates (VMC) and Common Mark Certificates (CMC). Create trust, better resist phishing, and make your emails recognizable with a verified brand logo.