The short version
A Gmail sender logo and a verified checkmark are different outcomes. Google supports BIMI with a VMC or CMC; the VMC route is associated with its verified checkmark.
Turn “get us a blue tick” into a clear brief
Begin by asking which outcome the business is seeking: a recognisable logo, the Gmail verification indicator, or both. Those requests can lead to different certificate decisions. A screenshot of another brand is useful inspiration but does not establish your own eligibility.
Record the exact sending domain and approved artwork in the brief. If the design team is about to change the logo, resolve that before validation. It is easier to approve one final asset than to coordinate a certificate application around a moving design.
Check evidence before buying
Google’s current documentation distinguishes VMCs from CMCs. A CMC can enable BIMI logo display in Gmail without the VMC checkmark. The issuer determines whether your organisation, domain and mark satisfy its validation requirements.
Do not treat an unregistered mark as automatically eligible for a CMC. For example, Sectigo’s published CMC process asks for at least 12 months of public use as well as organisation and domain checks. Collect the evidence an issuer requests before committing the launch date.
Test the result outside your own organisation
A logo seen by a colleague can come from account or contact information. Set up a documented test using an external recipient and a real message from the production sending service. Record what the receiver actually shows, including whether a verification indicator is present.
Keep a copy of the message headers alongside the screenshot. If the result is unexpected, that pairing lets the email team investigate authentication while the brand team confirms which artwork appeared. Use the Gmail display checklist to narrow down the cause.
Use precise language at launch
Say which inbox and test context you have verified. Avoid announcing “verified everywhere” based on one Gmail screenshot, or describing a CMC as a guaranteed route to a blue checkmark.
Give support teams a short explanation of the difference between logo display and the checkmark. Include a link to current provider guidance and the person who owns the certificate. That makes future questions easier to answer when an application, account context or provider policy changes.
Sources & further reading
Provider guidance checked on . Requirements can change; check the original guidance when implementing. Planning checklists and examples are BIMI World’s editorial suggestions.