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The real‑estate technology sector received its latest roster of marketing leaders on March 12, 2026, when Inman announced the winners of its fourth annual Marketing All‑Stars awards. The program, which spotlights chief marketing officers, brand strategists and communications executives across the residential‑real‑estate ecosystem, highlighted a mix of established brokerages, fast‑growing franchisors, online portals and technology providers.
In a press release distributed from Tallahassee, Fla., Inman described the awards as a means to “recognize the professionals who shape how real‑estate companies communicate, build trust and connect with consumers and agents.” The accolade, now in its fourth year, underscores the growing importance of sophisticated marketing operations in a market that continues to blend traditional brokerage models with data‑driven digital platforms.
A quick look at the 2026 honorees
- David Marine, chief marketing officer at Anywhere Brands
- Wendy Forsythe, chief marketing officer at eXp Realty
- Mickey Neuberger, chief marketing officer at Realtor.com
- Max Heilbron, vice president and head of brand marketing at Redfin
- Jonathan Mildenhall, chief marketing officer at Rocket Companies
- Laura Corrigan, senior vice president of marketing and public relations at The Agency
- Marissa Brooks, vice president of communications at Zillow
- Katelyn Castellano, chief marketing and performance officer in the Americas at Engel & Völkers
- Chris Mumford, chief marketing officer at CoStar Group
Why the Marketing All‑Stars matter now
Inman’s decision to broaden the award’s scope beyond traditional brokerages reflects a shift in how the residential‑real‑estate market views marketing. Over the past few years, the sector has witnessed a surge in technology adoption—from AI‑powered lead generation tools to immersive virtual‑tour platforms. As a result, the role of the CMO has evolved from managing print ads and local events to orchestrating complex digital ecosystems that integrate customer data platforms, programmatic advertising, and omnichannel attribution models.
“The Marketing All‑Stars program recognizes the professionals who shape how real‑estate companies communicate, build trust and connect with consumers and agents,” said Emily Paquette, CEO of Inman. “Their work reflects the evolving role of marketing and communications in a complex and competitive market.”
By publicly acknowledging these executives, Inman provides a benchmark for peers and vendors alike, signaling which strategies and leadership styles are gaining traction. The list also offers a snapshot of where marketing budgets are likely to flow in the upcoming fiscal year—toward platforms that can deliver measurable ROI in a landscape where consumer attention is fragmented across social, search, social and emerging channels such as TikTok and voice assistants.
The winners’ strategic focus
- Data‑centric brand building – Companies like Redfin and Rocket Companies have invested heavily in first‑party data to personalize outreach and refine the buyer journey. Max Heilbron’s team at Redfin, for instance, has rolled out a brand‑centric analytics dashboard that aligns creative spend with conversion metrics.
- Programmatic demand generation – At Realtor.com, Mickey Neuberger has overseen a shift toward programmatic advertising that leverages real‑time inventory data to serve hyper‑relevant listings to prospective buyers.
- Integrated communications – Zillow’s communications lead, Marissa Brooks, has championed a unified messaging framework that bridges PR, social media and investor relations, ensuring consistent brand voice across stakeholder groups.
- Global brand consistency – Engel & Völkers’ Katelyn Castellano has tackled the challenge of maintaining a premium brand image across diverse markets, employing localized content while preserving a core visual identity.
These focal points illustrate how modern real‑estate marketers are moving beyond simple lead capture toward holistic, performance‑driven ecosystems that tie brand perception directly to revenue outcomes.
Industry context: marketing technology in real estate
The real‑estate sector’s adoption of marketing technology (MarTech) has accelerated since 2020, driven in part by the pandemic’s push toward digital transactions. According to recent analyst reports, spend on marketing automation, customer data platforms (CDPs) and AI‑enhanced content creation tools has risen by double digits year over year.
In this environment, the CMOs recognized by Inman are likely to be early adopters of emerging solutions such as:
- Predictive analytics platforms that forecast buyer intent based on browsing behavior.
- Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) engines that tailor ad creatives in real time.
- Voice‑search optimization for platforms like Amazon Alexa, where home‑search queries are becoming more common.
Vendors that can demonstrate measurable impact on key performance indicators—lead‑to‑sale conversion, cost‑per‑acquisition (CPA) and customer lifetime value (CLV)—stand to benefit from the increased visibility of these executives.
What the awards mean for B2B tech vendors
For companies that supply MarTech, data infrastructure or advertising solutions to the real‑estate market, the Marketing All‑Stars list serves as a practical guide to potential champions. Executives such as David Marine at Anywhere Brands and Wendy Forsythe at eXp Realty have publicly discussed the importance of integrated campaign management tools that can synchronize branding efforts across a dispersed agent network.
A vendor looking to break into the eXp ecosystem, for example, would do well to align its product roadmap with Forsythe’s emphasis on scalable, cloud‑native solutions that support rapid agent onboarding. Similarly, firms targeting CoStar Group should consider how their data‑visualization capabilities can complement Chris Mumford’s focus on market‑intelligence driven advertising.
By targeting the strategic priorities of these awardees, B2B technology providers can position themselves as indispensable partners, rather than generic suppliers.
The broader impact on the residential‑real‑estate market
Recognition of marketing leadership has a ripple effect that extends to agents, brokers and ultimately homebuyers. When CMOs invest in brand equity and sophisticated demand‑generation tactics, the downstream result is a more consistent consumer experience—whether a buyer is browsing listings on Realtor.com, engaging with a Redfin agent, or interacting with a local franchise of Anywhere Brands.
Moreover, the public acknowledgment of these leaders helps elevate the profession within the industry. Historically, real‑estate marketing was viewed as a support function; today, it is increasingly seen as a revenue engine. This shift can attract top talent from adjacent sectors—digital advertising, data science and product management—who bring fresh perspectives to traditional brokerage models.
Looking ahead: the future of the Marketing All‑Stars program
Inman’s decision to make the award list publicly accessible via its website (https://www.inman.com/marketing-all-stars-awards/) signals a commitment to transparency and industry dialogue. As the program enters its fifth year, expectations are that the criteria will continue to evolve, potentially incorporating metrics around sustainability messaging, diversity and inclusion, and emerging channel performance.
For observers of the B2B technology landscape, the awards provide a quarterly pulse check on which marketing innovations are gaining traction in a sector that traditionally lagged behind retail and finance in digital adoption.
Final thoughts
The 2026 Marketing All‑Stars winners represent a cohort of marketers who are redefining how residential‑real‑estate brands engage with an increasingly digital audience. Their collective focus on data, programmatic reach, and integrated communications underscores a broader industry trend: marketing is no longer a cost center but a strategic lever for growth.
Stakeholders—from technology vendors to investors—should monitor the initiatives championed by these executives, as they will likely set the benchmark for best practices in real‑estate marketing for the coming years.
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