Marketing Day: Amazon holiday ad spend, Marketo certification for marketers, more

Here’s our recap of what happened in online marketing today, as reported on Marketing Land and other places across the web.

From Marketing Land:

Declining engagement, conversions cast shadows on otherwise sunny Black Friday weekend Dec 6, 2018 by Robin Kurzer What marketers can learn from the downsides of a record-breaking holiday sales weekend.
The new best practices for digital brand storytelling Dec 6, 2018 by Julian Baring People have been telling stories for thousands of years, and the elements of what makes a good story have changed precious little in that time. Through the stories we tell, we not only entertain and connect with others, but we also convey information about our own beliefs, tastes and aspirations.
Amazon ad spend up 3.5X Thanksgiving week compared to pre-holiday ad investments Dec 5, 2018 by Amy Gesenhues Digital ad platform Kenshoo says clients spent 2.2 times as much on Amazon native ads during Cyber Monday compared to Prime Day.

Firefly adds mobile device-like targeting to ads on car rooftops Dec 6, 2018 by Barry Levine The San Francisco-based startup is delivering ads designed for drivers’ specific paths, with a granularity down to a city block.
Marketo announces new entry-level certification for marketers Dec 6, 2018 by Barry Levine The Certified Associate credential requires passing an online exam about such basic topics as marketing automation and email campaign management.