• by Sarah Mahoney , February 10, 2026

The housing market has left millions of Americans stuck and angsty—priced out, unsure, or frozen between wanting change and afraid of the cost. Zillow’s new brand platform, “Someday Starts Today,” is built for that in-between moment, reframing browsing and dreaming as real progress rather than procrastination.

The new positioning, created by 72andSunny, marks a shift away from feature-led messaging toward belief-driven storytelling. The initial spots highlight all the things a move can do, from shortening commutes to giving families room to breathe. Beverly W. Jackson, Zillow’s vice president of brand and product marketing, tells Marketing Daily about the new direction.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Marketing Daily: People don’t feel great about housing affordability. They feel stuck, anxious, even trapped. Why launch this now?

Beverly W. Jackson:  We understand the turmoil consumers have faced over the last several years and the uncertainty that’s still there. What we’re trying to say with “Someday Starts Today” is that your journey doesn’t begin only at the transaction. It begins with action—big or small. Wherever you are in the journey, it starts right now, and Zillow is here to help you take those steps.

Marketing Daily: Housing costs impact almost every demographic. Is there a specific target, like first-time homebuyers?

Jackson: We’re talking to everyone who aspires to move, change or improve their situation—without dictating what that should look like. So yes, first-time buyers are part of that. But there are also sellers sitting in homes that are too big, renters thinking about what’s next, families bursting at the seams, and people who love their neighborhood but need something different.

Home journeys don’t follow one fixed path. Our job is to help people understand what’s possible for them—whether that’s a new rental, a first home, downsizing, or just figuring out what they can afford.

Marketing Daily: What was the brief you gave to 72andSunny?

Jackson: We said we had to get people past the dream state. Zillow holds a special place for people—it’s where they come late at night after a long day, scroll through listings and imagine what could be.

The brief was: how do we meet people where they are emotionally, acknowledge the frustration, and help them move from dreaming to doing? Not with one giant leap, but with small, incremental steps that make progress feel attainable.

Marketing Daily: The ads focus on everyday moments—commutes, crowded homes, chaos. Why that approach?

Jackson: Because it’s real. They show that the desire to move is there, but people don’t always know what’s possible. We wanted to show that taking even one small step—thinking about a closer commute, a bigger apartment, a different neighborhood—is action. And action is how someday becomes today.

Marketing Daily: The platform debuted during the Grammys. Why that moment?

Jackson: For artists, the Grammys represent a “someday” they worked toward for years. That mirrors how people think about home. We told stories of artists who started in bedrooms, closets, kitchen tables—where their someday began long before it became real. That idea maps perfectly to how people approach housing. It’s about belief, momentum, and taking the first step.

Marketing Daily: How does this extend beyond that initial launch?

Jackson: This platform will anchor our brand presence throughout 2026. You’ll see it show up across cultural moments—music, sports, live experiences—because those are places where people are emotionally present and thinking about progress in their own lives.

We’ll also bring it into lifecycle marketing, social, partnerships and experiences. When you see Zillow in new places, it should feel surprising—but also right.

Marketing Daily: This represents an increase in brand investment. What does success look like?

Jackson: Awareness matters—but not just knowing who Zillow is. I want people to understand what Zillow can actually do for them. That means stronger unaided awareness of Zillow Home Loans, increased trust from our agent partners, more buyer and seller transactions, and continued growth in rentals.

We run a two-sided marketplace. We serve buyers, sellers, renters, and agent partners who rely on us to grow their businesses.

This brand work is designed to cascade down the funnel. I want to see it drive engagement, trust and real action—not just attention.