BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is that relatively new standard where your brand’s verified logo appears right next to your emails in compatible inboxes (think Gmail, Yahoo, Fastmail, etc.).
Benefits for a resort using BIMI in email marketing
Instant brand recognition in crowded inboxes
Your official resort logo appears right next to the subject line, helping travelers immediately associate the email with your brand.
This can be especially powerful for seasonal offers, loyalty programs, or VIP guest newsletters.
Higher trust and legitimacy
BIMI requires strong email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), which signals to recipients (and spam filters) that your emails are safe.
This helps reduce the “Is this a phishing scam?” hesitation that can lower open rates.
Potentially higher engagement
Studies have shown a modest increase in open rates (sometimes 10–20%) after BIMI adoption, since the visual logo draws the eye.
Competitive edge in tourism/hospitality
Few resorts are currently using BIMI, so early adoption makes your brand stand out to prospective guests.
Consistent visual branding across marketing channels
Email branding aligns with your social media, ads, and booking website — reinforcing brand familiarity.
Drawbacks & considerations
Setup cost and process
You need to:
Configure SPF, DKIM, DMARC (with p=quarantine or p=reject)
Create an SVG version of your logo
Obtain a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) from a certificate authority like DigiCert or Entrust (can cost ~$1,000–$1,500/year).
Not support by all email clients
BIMI is not supported by all email providers. Most notably: Apple Mail does not support BIMI logos.
That means iCloud.com and Apple’s Mail app will not show your BIMI logo — they may show profile images pulled from other sources (see below for alternatives).
Maintenance
Any changes to your logo, domain, or email infrastructure require updating BIMI records and possibly re-issuing certificates.
Not a guarantee of inbox placement
BIMI helps with trust and appearance but doesn’t override poor sender reputation or bad content.
Pro Tip: For Gmail/Yahoo users, BIMI gives you an immediate brand pop. For Apple Mail users, consider pairing BIMI with a “Save us to contacts” CTA in your welcome or booking confirmation emails so your logo appears in Apple’s environment too.
BIMI vs. Apple Mail Branding
| Feature / Channel | BIMI | Apple Mail & iCloud Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Shows verified logo in inbox list | ✅ Yes, in supported providers (Gmail, Yahoo, Fastmail, AOL, etc.) | ❌ No — shows initials or generic icon unless recipient sets custom contact photo |
| Verification required | ✅ SPF + DKIM + DMARC (p=quarantine or p=reject) + Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) | ❌ None — branding is user-controlled, not sender-controlled |
| Where it appears | Inbox preview, message list, and sometimes message view | Only in message view if recipient saved contact image |
| Cost | Medium: VMC ~$1,000–$1,500/year | None (but no control over branding) |
| Logo source | SVG Tiny P/S logo hosted on your domain, verified via VMC | Recipient’s Contacts app photo or Apple-assigned generic icon |
| Control over look | High — brand controls the exact image shown | Low — recipients can set/change image, sender has no direct influence |
| Alternatives for brand presence | N/A — BIMI is the main standard for inbox logo display | Encourage users to save your resort’s contact info with your logo, use Apple Wallet passes, leverage Apple Business Connect profile for Maps/Siri exposure |
