completed, working < 120s, or submitted for manual review)
Scope
update_media_buy operates on any media_buy_id returned by get_media_buys, not just buys created via create_media_buy. Sales agents MUST NOT refuse updates on the basis that a buy was originally created outside AdCP (direct ad-server entry, legacy APIs, manual trafficking). Creation surface is not a supported axis of authorization; account ownership is.
When a specific action is unsupported for a given buy for business reasons (contractual obligations, platform constraints, policy), the seller MUST omit only that action from valid_actions on the buy rather than silently rejecting the corresponding update. Creation surface is not a business reason. Sellers MUST NOT return INVALID_STATE on an otherwise-valid update against a non-AdCP-created buy, and MUST NOT return a buy with systematically empty valid_actions simply because it was booked outside AdCP — that pattern is indistinguishable from hiding the buy and violates the Account Ownership vs. Creation Surface rule.
PATCH Semantics: Only specified fields are updated; omitted fields remain unchanged.
Request Schema: /schemas/3.0.19/media-buy/update-media-buy-request.json
Response Schema: /schemas/3.0.19/media-buy/update-media-buy-response.json
Quick Start
Create a media buy, then pause it:Request Parameters
account and media_buy_id are always required.
Reporting Webhook Object
Configure automated delivery reporting for this media buy:
Note:
reporting_webhook configures ongoing campaign reporting. push_notification_config is for async operation notifications (e.g., “notify me when this update completes”).
Package Update Object
package_id is required to identify the package to update.
Response
Success Response
Error Response
Note: Responses use discriminated unions - you get either success fields OR errors, never both. Always check for
errors before accessing success fields.
Common Scenarios
Update Package Budget
Increase budget for a specific package:Change Campaign Dates
Extend campaign end date:Update Targeting
Add or modify geographic restrictions:Replace Creatives
Swap out creative assignments for a package:Multiple Package Updates
Update multiple packages in one call:Cancel a Media Buy
Cancel an entire media buy:NOT_CANCELLABLE error response:
INVALID_STATE error response (e.g., trying to update a completed media buy):
REQUOTE_REQUIRED error response (update changes the parameter envelope the quote was priced against):
Cancel a Package
Cancel a single package while the media buy remains active:What Can Be Updated
Campaign-Level Updates
✅ Can update:- Start/end times (subject to seller approval)
- Campaign status (active/paused/canceled)
- Reporting webhook configuration (URL, frequency, metrics)
- Media buy ID
- Brand reference
- Original package product IDs
Package-Level Updates
✅ Can update:- Budget allocation
- Pacing strategy
- Bid prices (auction products)
- Optimization goal (event source, event type, target ROAS/CPA)
- Targeting overlays
- Creative assignments
- Package status (active/paused/canceled)
- Catalog reference (replace the catalog a catalog-driven package promotes)
- Creative assignments (before the package’s
creative_deadline)
- Package ID
- Product ID
- Pricing option ID
- Format IDs (creatives must match existing formats)
Error Handling
Common errors and resolutions:
Example error response:
Update Approval
Some updates require seller approval and return pending status:- Significant budget increases (threshold varies by seller)
- Date range changes affecting inventory availability
- Targeting changes that alter campaign scope
- Creative changes requiring policy review
implementation_date will be null and affected_packages contains the proposed state of each package that would be modified:
PATCH Semantics
Only specified fields are updated - omitted fields remain unchanged:creative_assignments), provide the complete new array:
Asynchronous Operations
Updates may be asynchronous, especially with seller approval.Response Patterns
Synchronous (completed immediately) — campaign-level update (e.g.,paused: true):
Protocol-Specific Handling
AdCP tasks work across multiple protocols (MCP, A2A, REST). Each protocol handles async operations differently:- Status checking: Polling, webhooks, or streaming
- Updates: Protocol-specific mechanisms
- Long-running tasks: Different timeout and notification patterns
Best Practices
1. Use Precise Updates Update only what needs to change - don’t resend unchanged values. 2. Budget Increases Small incremental increases are more likely to be auto-approved than large jumps. 3. Pause Before Major Changes Pause campaigns before making significant targeting or creative changes to avoid delivery issues. 4. Test with Small Changes Test update workflows with minor changes before critical campaign modifications. 5. Monitor Status Always check response status andimplementation_date for approval requirements.
6. Validate Package State
Check affected_packages in response to confirm changes were applied correctly.
Usage Notes
- Updates are atomic - either all changes apply or none do
- Both media buys and packages can be referenced by publisher IDs
- Pending states (
working,submitted) are normal, not errors - Orchestrators MUST handle pending states as part of normal workflow
implementation_dateindicates when changes take effect (null if pending approval)- Inline creatives: The
creativesarray creates NEW creatives only. To update existing creatives, usesync_creatives. To assign existing library creatives, usecreative_assignmentsin the Package Update object.
Campaign Governance — Modification PhaseWhen a buyer’s account has governance agents configured, sellers MUST call
check_governance with media_buy_id, planned_delivery, and phase: "modification" before confirming an update. The governance agent validates change magnitude, budget reallocation, and new parameters against the campaign plan.See the seller integration guide for the full execution check workflow and code example.Next Steps
After updating a media buy:- Verify Changes: Use
get_media_buy_deliveryto confirm updates - Upload New Creatives: Use
sync_creativesif creative assignments changed - Monitor Performance: Track impact of changes on campaign metrics
- Optimize Further: Use
provide_performance_feedbackfor ongoing optimization
Learn More
- Media Buy Lifecycle - Complete campaign workflow
- Targeting - Targeting overlays and restrictions
- Async Operations - Async patterns and status checking
- create_media_buy - Initial campaign creation