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

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...
What is Common Mark Certificate

Have you ever received an email that contains the company logo in it? Do you want to implement them in your organization? Are you an email marketing professional looking for more leads?

Or do you have some knowledge about BIMI, VMC, and CMC and want to implement them or learn more about them in detail? This blog helps with all of that.

In day-to-day life, we receive 100s of emails. Some of them are filtered and go to spam. Among the regular mail, you can see some of them contain their brand logos. This type of email catches the user’s attention and seems more authentic.

With and Without CMC

What is a Common Mark Certificate (CMC)?

The Common Mark Certificate (CMC) is a digital certificate. The trusted certificate authorities (CA) issue it to help authenticate the ownership and legitimacy of a logo.

It is designed for organizations that want to implement BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) but do not have a trademarked logo. The CMC is vital for email security and branding. Simply put, CMC is a tool that helps you implement the BIMI.

Common Mark Certificate proves a specific organization owns this logo without the trademark. It also gives authenticity to the logo; the organization has been using it for at least one year.

Common Mark Certificates For Google BIMI Logos

Let’s learn more about the BIMI to understand the CMC better.

BIMI (brand indicators for message identification) is an open standard that allows email senders to use their brand logo in email inboxes. It gives an extra layer of security to mail because BIMI enforces DMARC, which helps the organization from email-based attacks like spoofing and phishing.

BIMI requires certification of the domain and logo by a trusted third party. This is done through digital certificates, either a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) or a Common Mark Certificate (CMC).

Advantages of CMC

The CMC provides multiple benefits, Especially for Startups and smaller Organizations. It is an essential component for implementing BIMI.

No Trademark Requirement

The CMC doesn’t require trademarks like a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). Trademarks are very expensive and time-consuming to obtain. So, CMC is the best option for you if you are a startup or small organization.

Cost-Effective Solution

The CMC is a cost-effective solution, saving you much money compared to the VMC.

Faster BIMI Adoption

Businesses don’t have to wait for Trademark approval waiting period time. Which generally takes 12–18 months.

Enhanced Email Security

It enforces DMARC, protecting your organization from email-based cyber-attacks like Spoofing and Phishing.

Brand Visibility and Email Engagement

The logo displayed in the email inbox increases the brand visibility, and users have more chances to engage with the emails as they look more trustworthy and genuine.

Google’s Recent BIMI Changes (September 2024)

On 24 September 2024, Google now supports Common Mark Certificates (CMC). Previously, BIMI could only be achieved with a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). However, some issues make it challenging to get BIMI to the organizations. It required a trademarked logo, which is time-consuming and very expensive.

With this update, BIMI can be available with either CMC or VMC. Getting BIMI through CMC is less time-consuming and less expensive. It has a few issues, i.e., you will not get the Gmail Blue Checkmark, and the logo should be used for one year or more when using CMC.

Comparison: VMC vs. CMC

FeatureVerified Mark Certificate (VMC)Common Mark Certificate (CMC)
Logo Display in BIMIYesYes
Trademark RequiredYesNo
Blue Tick in GmailYes (if DMARC passes)No
CostHigher (due to trademark requirement)Lower
Best ForEstablished brands with trademarksSmall businesses without trademarks

What are the Use Cases of CMC?

There are many use cases for the Common Mark Certificate (CMC) as it is economically friendly and requires less effort than VMC.

Startups and Small Businesses:

Start-ups or small businesses have a smaller budget for technology enhancement. The CMC is a perfect fit for this.

Non-Profit Organizations:

Non-profit organizations have very tight budgets and don’t have trademarks. So, CMC is the best fit here.

Early-Stage Brands Building Recognition:

If you are a new brand, you must stand out from the crowd and think out of the box. CMC is a perfect smart move for your brand building.

Marketing Campaigns:

Email marketing campaigns compete for attention, and people get 100 emails daily. Your email should stand out from this mail to get more leads.

Educational Institutions:

Schools, colleges, and universities lack trademarks for their logos and have small budgets. It helps establish trust in communications.

Event Organizers:

The event organizer must ensure that their email stands out from other emails so it gets attention from the people.

Steps to Get Your CMC for BIMI

  1. Logo Requirements: To apply for a CMC, businesses must ensure that their logo must have been actively used for at least one year to qualify.
  2. Set Up Email Authentication: Ensure your domain complies with authentication protocols like DMARC, SPF, and DKIM. A DMARC policy with enforcement (p=quarantine or p=reject) is mandatory.
  3. Obtain DigiCert CMC: Get your CMC from a trusted certificate authority (CA) or reseller, and complete the validation process.
  4. Logo Validation: In part of the process, your logo will undergo verification. The validation process for a CMC is streamlined and faster. Once validation is done, your logo will be displayed in emails.

Configure BIMI CMC Easily with Our Expertise!

Your brand logo is displayed in the recipient’s inbox, which helps get more attention and clicks for your emails. We help your organization to increase its brand reputation. Adopting BIMI CMC in your organization adds an extra layer of security and prevents your organization from email-based threats.

Want to boost your email branding effortlessly? Let us help you quickly set up your Common Mark Certificate (CMC) for BIMI!

Make your emails stand out with a professional logo display. Elevate your email branding!

Janki Mehta

Monika

Cyber Security Experts!