AdCP — update_media

Modify an existing media buy using PATCH semantics. Supports campaign-level and package-level updates. Response Time: Instant to days (status: 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 (and the corresponding entry from available_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.

Action vocabulary and field mapping

Buyers express intent through actions; the seller declares the actions available on each buy via the structured available_actions[] field (authoritative) and the flat valid_actions[] field (legacy, deprecated in 4.0). When both fields are present, consumers MUST prefer available_actions[] — it carries the resolved mode, optional sla, and optional terms_ref that the flat string array cannot represent. When a buyer issues an update_media_buy request, the seller maps the request’s fields to one or more actions and rejects with ACTION_NOT_ALLOWED (carrying attempted_action, reason, and currently_available_actions in error.details) if any mapped action is not in the buy’s resolved available_actions[]. The mapping is normative — sellers and SDKs MUST use this table to translate between request fields and action identifiers so the surface is consistent across implementations.

Action	update_media_buy fields	Notes
`pause`	`paused: true`
`resume`	`paused: false`
`cancel`	`canceled: true`, `cancellation_reason`	Irreversible
`extend_flight`	`end_time`, `packages[].end_time` (later than current)	End-time push only
`shorten_flight`	`end_time`, `packages[].end_time` (earlier than current)	End-time pull only
`update_flight_dates`	`start_time`, `end_time`, `packages[].start_time`, `packages[].end_time` (shift)	Start-shift distinct from extend/shorten; covers both buy-level and package-level dates
`increase_budget`	`packages[].budget` (raise)
`decrease_budget`	`packages[].budget` (lower)	Sellers typically bound by already-spent
`reallocate_budget`	`packages[].budget` (redistribute, aggregate unchanged)

The direction-of-change actions (extend_flight / shorten_flight, increase_budget / decrease_budget / reallocate_budget) share their update_fields paths; the action is determined by comparing the requested value against the buy’s current state, not by which field is set. Server-side dispatch enforcement MUST diff request-vs-current to pick the right action and reject with ACTION_NOT_ALLOWED if the resolved action is not in the buy’s available_actions[]. | update_targeting | packages[].targeting_overlay, packages[].keyword_targets_add, packages[].keyword_targets_remove, packages[].negative_keywords_add, packages[].negative_keywords_remove | | | update_pacing | packages[].pacing | | | update_frequency_caps | packages[].targeting_overlay.frequency_cap | Renegotiated mid-flight more often than other targeting. Field is singular frequency_cap (single rule), not plural. | | replace_creative | packages[].creatives[] swap (assignments unchanged) | Distinct AM workflow from changing assignment set | | update_creative_assignments | packages[].creative_assignments | Which creatives go where | | remove_creative | Creative omitted from packages[].creatives[] and/or packages[].creative_assignments on a replacement payload | Both arrays use replacement semantics, so removal is expressed by sending the desired post-state with the creative absent (no explicit delete primitive in 3.x). Time-sensitive; sellers SHOULD support self_serve removal even when add/swap require approval | | add_packages | new_packages[] | | | remove_packages | packages[].canceled: true | | The coarse legacy actions (update_budget, update_dates, update_packages, sync_creatives) cover the finer-grained vocabulary in a single value for sellers still emitting the 3.0 enum surface. Sellers SHOULD migrate to the finer set; the legacy values are removed in 4.0.

Action modes

Each entry in available_actions[] carries a singular mode (resolved against the buy’s current state). On the product-level allowed_actions[] template the field is modes[] (plural) because a product can offer multiple conditional modes (e.g. self_serve within tolerances, escalating to requires_approval outside).

Mode	Meaning
`self_serve`	Seller honors the request synchronously
`conditional_self_serve`	Auto-approves within tolerances, escalates outside them (programmatic guaranteed pattern)
`requires_approval`	Human-in-the-loop, async, no proposal artifact; buyer SDK polls or awaits webhook

Buyer SDKs MUST branch on mode to decide whether to expect a synchronous response, conditional handling, or an asynchronous approval callback. Requotes are not modeled as an action mode in 3.1; sellers return REQUOTE_REQUIRED when a requested update exceeds the current quoted envelope. PATCH Semantics: Only specified fields are updated; omitted fields remain unchanged. Request Schema: /schemas/v3/media-buy/update-media-buy-request.json Response Schema: /schemas/v3/media-buy/update-media-buy-response.json

Quick Start

Create a media buy, then pause it:

import { testAgent } from '@adcp/sdk/testing';
import { CreateMediaBuyResponseSchema, UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema } from '@adcp/sdk';

// First, create a media buy to update
const uniqueRef = `test_campaign_${Date.now()}`;

// Use dates in the future
const startDate = new Date();
startDate.setDate(startDate.getDate() + 7); // Start 1 week from now
const endDate = new Date();
endDate.setDate(endDate.getDate() + 37); // End 5 weeks from now

const createResult = await testAgent.createMediaBuy({
  brand: { domain: 'acmecorp.com' },
  packages: [{
    product_id: 'prod_d979b543',
    pricing_option_id: 'cpm_usd_fixed',
    format_ids: [{
      agent_url: 'https://creative.adcontextprotocol.org',
      id: 'display_300x250_image'
    }],
    budget: 800,
    bid_price: 5.00
  }],
  start_time: startDate.toISOString(),
  end_time: endDate.toISOString()
});

if (!createResult.success) {
  throw new Error(`Create failed: ${createResult.error}`);
}

const created = CreateMediaBuyResponseSchema.parse(createResult.data);
if ('errors' in created && created.errors) {
  throw new Error(`Create failed: ${JSON.stringify(created.errors)}`);
}

console.log(`Created media buy ${created.media_buy_id}`);

// Now update it - pause the campaign
const updateResult = await testAgent.updateMediaBuy({
  account: { brand: { domain: 'acmecorp.com' }, operator: 'acmecorp.com' },
  media_buy_id: created.media_buy_id,
  revision: created.revision,
  paused: true
});

if (!updateResult.success) {
  throw new Error(`Update failed: ${updateResult.error}`);
}

const updated = UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema.parse(updateResult.data);
if ('errors' in updated && updated.errors) {
  throw new Error(`Update failed: ${JSON.stringify(updated.errors)}`);
}

console.log(`Campaign ${updated.media_buy_id} paused`);

Request Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`account`	account-ref	Yes	Account that owns this media buy. Pass `{ "account_id": "..." }` or `{ "brand": {...}, "operator": "..." }`. Required for governance checks and account resolution.
`media_buy_id`	string	Yes	Seller’s media buy identifier to update
`revision`	integer	No	Expected current revision for optimistic concurrency. Seller rejects with `CONFLICT` on mismatch. Obtain from `get_media_buys` or the most recent response.
`start_time`	string	No	Updated campaign start time
`end_time`	string	No	Updated campaign end time
`paused`	boolean	No	Pause/resume entire media buy (`true` = paused, `false` = active)
`canceled`	boolean	No	Cancel the entire media buy (irreversible). Must be `true` when present. Seller may reject with `NOT_CANCELLABLE`.
`cancellation_reason`	string	No	Reason for cancellation
`packages`	PackageUpdate[]	No	Package-level updates (see below)
`reporting_webhook`	object	No	Update reporting webhook configuration (see below)
`idempotency_key`	string	No	Unique key for safe retries. If an update with the same key has already been processed, the seller returns the original response. MUST be unique per (seller, request) pair. Min 16 chars.
`invoice_recipient`	BusinessEntity	No	Override who receives the invoice for this buy. The seller MUST validate authorization and include in `check_governance` when governance agents are configured.
`new_packages`	PackageRequest[]	No	New packages to add to this media buy. Same shape as `create_media_buy` packages. Only supported by sellers that advertise `add_packages` in `valid_actions`.
`push_notification_config`	object	No	Webhook for async operation notifications

account and media_buy_id are always required.

Optimistic concurrency

revision is the expected current media-buy revision. Some implementations call this value expected_revision internally; on the AdCP wire the field is revision. The field is optional for backward compatibility. When it is present, sellers MUST check it atomically with the write that applies a mutating update; reading the current value in application code, comparing it, then writing later can race another writer and lose an update. If the stored revision differs from the request’s revision, the seller rejects with CONFLICT and applies no changes. Every mutating update increments revision and returns the new value in the success response. Validation-only requests, reads, and exact idempotency replays do not increment it; exact replays return the prior revision. Clients SHOULD pass the latest observed revision on every update intended to change state, then reload with get_media_buys and retry with a fresh idempotency_key when they receive CONFLICT.

Reporting Webhook Object

Configure automated delivery reporting for this media buy:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`url`	string	Yes	Webhook endpoint URL
`authentication`	object	Yes	Auth config with `schemes` and `credentials`
`reporting_frequency`	string	Yes	`hourly`, `daily`, or `monthly`
`requested_metrics`	string[]	No	Specific metrics to include (defaults to all)
`token`	string	No	Client token for validation (min 16 chars)

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

Parameter	Type	Description
`package_id`	string	Seller’s package identifier to update
`paused`	boolean	Pause/resume specific package (`true` = paused, `false` = active)
`canceled`	boolean	Cancel this package (irreversible). Must be `true` when present. Seller may reject with `NOT_CANCELLABLE`.
`cancellation_reason`	string	Reason for canceling this package
`budget`	number	Updated budget allocation
`impressions`	number	Updated impression goal for this package
`start_time`	string	Updated flight start date/time in ISO 8601 format. Must fall within the media buy’s date range.
`end_time`	string	Updated flight end date/time in ISO 8601 format. Must fall within the media buy’s date range.
`pacing`	string	Updated pacing strategy
`bid_price`	number	Updated bid price (auction products only). This is the exact bid/price to honor unless the selected pricing option has `max_bid: true`, in which case it is treated as the buyer’s maximum willingness to pay (ceiling).
`optimization_goals`	OptimizationGoal[]	Replace all optimization goals for this package. Uses replacement semantics — omit to leave goals unchanged.
`targeting_overlay`	TargetingOverlay	Updated targeting restrictions. Uses replacement semantics; changing `signal_targeting_groups` can alter priced signal selection, so sellers MAY reject with `REQUOTE_REQUIRED` when the selected signal, group expression, or signal `pricing_option_id` falls outside the original quote. Sellers SHOULD reject attempts to change fixed signal selections and MUST echo applied fixed/default signal groups on the resulting package state.
`catalogs`	Catalog[]	Replace the catalogs this package promotes. Uses replacement semantics — omit to leave unchanged.
`keyword_targets_add`	KeywordTarget[]	Keyword targets to add or upsert by (keyword, match_type) identity. On create, these are set as `keyword_targets` inside `targeting_overlay`.
`keyword_targets_remove`	KeywordTarget[]	Keyword targets to remove by (keyword, match_type) identity.
`negative_keywords_add`	NegativeKeyword[]	Negative keywords to append to this package. On create, these are set as `negative_keywords` inside `targeting_overlay`.
`negative_keywords_remove`	NegativeKeyword[]	Negative keywords to remove from this package.
`creative_assignments`	CreativeAssignment[]	Replace assigned creatives with optional weights and placement targeting
`creatives`	CreativeAsset[]	Upload and assign new creatives inline (must not exist in library)

package_id is required to identify the package to update.

Response

Success Response

Field	Description
`media_buy_id`	Media buy identifier
`media_buy_status`	Media buy lifecycle status after the update (present when status changes, e.g., cancellation). Canonical 3.1 field. See Migration › `media_buy_status`.
`status`	Deprecated in 3.1, removed in 3.2 (#4906). Use `media_buy_status` instead. Top-level `status` collides with the envelope task-status on flat-serialized MCP wire.
`revision`	Revision number after this update. Use in subsequent requests intended to change state for optimistic concurrency. Exact idempotency replays return the prior revision.
`implementation_date`	ISO 8601 timestamp when changes take effect (null if pending approval)
`invoice_recipient`	Updated invoice recipient, echoed from request when provided. Confirms the seller accepted the billing override. Bank details are omitted (write-only).
`valid_actions`	Flat-vocabulary actions the buyer can perform after this update. Saves a round-trip to `get_media_buys`. Deprecated in favor of `available_actions[]` and removed in 4.0.
`available_actions`	Structured per-buy resolution of actions available after this update, each entry with action, resolved `mode`, optional `sla`, optional `terms_ref`. Authoritative — buyer SDKs SHOULD prefer this over `valid_actions` when both are present.
`affected_packages`	Array of full Package objects showing complete state after update

Error Response

Field	Description
`errors`	Array of error objects explaining failure

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:

import { testAgent } from '@adcp/sdk/testing';
import { UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema } from '@adcp/sdk';

const result = await testAgent.updateMediaBuy({
  account: { account_id: 'acc_acme_001' },
  media_buy_id: 'mb_12345',
  packages: [{
    package_id: 'pkg_001',
    budget: 50000  // Increased from 30000
  }]
});

if (!result.success) {
  throw new Error(`Request failed: ${result.error}`);
}

const validated = UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema.parse(result.data);

if ('errors' in validated && validated.errors) {
  throw new Error(`Update failed: ${JSON.stringify(validated.errors)}`);
}

const pkg = validated.affected_packages?.find(p => p.package_id === 'pkg_001');
if (pkg) {
  console.log(`Package budget updated to ${pkg.budget}`);
}

Change Campaign Dates

Extend campaign end date:

import { testAgent } from '@adcp/sdk/testing';
import { UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema } from '@adcp/sdk';

const result = await testAgent.updateMediaBuy({
  account: { account_id: 'acc_acme_001' },
  media_buy_id: 'mb_12345',
  end_time: '2025-09-30T23:59:59Z'
});

if (!result.success) {
  throw new Error(`Request failed: ${result.error}`);
}

const validated = UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema.parse(result.data);

if ('errors' in validated && validated.errors) {
  throw new Error(`Update failed: ${JSON.stringify(validated.errors)}`);
}

console.log('Campaign end date extended');
console.log(`Effective: ${validated.implementation_date}`);

Update Targeting

Add or modify geographic restrictions:

import { testAgent } from '@adcp/sdk/testing';
import { UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema } from '@adcp/sdk';

const result = await testAgent.updateMediaBuy({
  account: { account_id: 'acc_acme_001' },
  media_buy_id: 'mb_12345',
  packages: [{
    package_id: 'pkg_001',
    targeting_overlay: {
      geo_countries: ['US', 'CA'],
      geo_regions: ['US-CA', 'US-NY', 'US-TX', 'CA-ON', 'CA-QC']
    }
  }]
});

if (!result.success) {
  throw new Error(`Request failed: ${result.error}`);
}

const validated = UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema.parse(result.data);

if ('errors' in validated && validated.errors) {
  throw new Error(`Update failed: ${JSON.stringify(validated.errors)}`);
}

console.log('Targeting updated successfully');

Replace Creatives

Swap out creative assignments for a package:

import { testAgent } from '@adcp/sdk/testing';
import { UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema } from '@adcp/sdk';

const result = await testAgent.updateMediaBuy({
  account: { account_id: 'acc_acme_001' },
  media_buy_id: 'mb_12345',
  packages: [{
    package_id: 'pkg_001',
    creative_assignments: [
      { creative_id: 'creative_video_v2' },
      { creative_id: 'creative_display_v2', weight: 60 }
    ]
  }]
});

if (!result.success) {
  throw new Error(`Request failed: ${result.error}`);
}

const validated = UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema.parse(result.data);

if ('errors' in validated && validated.errors) {
  throw new Error(`Update failed: ${JSON.stringify(validated.errors)}`);
}

const pkg = validated.affected_packages?.find(p => p.package_id === 'pkg_001');
const assignmentCount = pkg?.creative_assignments?.length || 0;
console.log(`Assigned ${assignmentCount} creatives`);

Multiple Package Updates

Update multiple packages in one call:

import { testAgent } from '@adcp/sdk/testing';
import { UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema } from '@adcp/sdk';

const result = await testAgent.updateMediaBuy({
  account: { account_id: 'acc_acme_001' },
  media_buy_id: 'mb_12345',
  packages: [
    {
      package_id: 'pkg_001',
      budget: 50000,
      pacing: 'front_loaded'
    },
    {
      package_id: 'pkg_002',
      budget: 30000,
      paused: true
    }
  ]
});

if (!result.success) {
  throw new Error(`Request failed: ${result.error}`);
}

const validated = UpdateMediaBuyResponseSchema.parse(result.data);

if ('errors' in validated && validated.errors) {
  throw new Error(`Update failed: ${JSON.stringify(validated.errors)}`);
}

console.log(`Updated ${validated.affected_packages?.length || 0} packages`);

Cancel a Media Buy

Cancel an entire media buy:

{
  "account": { "account_id": "acc_acme_001" },
  "media_buy_id": "mb_12345",
  "canceled": true,
  "cancellation_reason": "Campaign strategy changed"
}

Success response:

{
  "media_buy_id": "mb_12345",
  "media_buy_status": "canceled",
  "revision": 4,
  "implementation_date": "2025-06-15T10:00:00Z",
  "affected_packages": []
}

The body-level media_buy_status is the canonical 3.1 field for the buy’s lifecycle state. The legacy top-level status: MediaBuyStatus form (e.g., "status": "canceled") is deprecated and removed in 3.2 (#4906) — it collided with the envelope task-status at the same root key. See Migration › media_buy_status for the migration. NOT_CANCELLABLE error response:

{
  "errors": [{
    "code": "NOT_CANCELLABLE",
    "message": "Media buy mb_12345 has contractual obligations preventing cancellation",
    "suggestion": "Contact seller to discuss cancellation options"
  }]
}

INVALID_STATE error response (e.g., trying to update a completed media buy):

{
  "errors": [{
    "code": "INVALID_STATE",
    "message": "Media buy mb_12345 is in terminal state 'completed' and cannot be modified",
    "suggestion": "Check current status via get_media_buys and adjust request"
  }]
}

REQUOTE_REQUIRED error response (update changes the parameter envelope the quote was priced against):

{
  "errors": [{
    "code": "REQUOTE_REQUIRED",
    "message": "Doubling budget and extending end_time into Q4 changes the pricing basis of the current buy",
    "details": {
      "envelope_field": ["packages[0].budget", "end_time"]
    },
    "suggestion": "Adjust the update to stay within the current quote envelope, rediscover products/terms, add packages when available, or create a separate media buy"
  }]
}

Cancel a Package

Cancel a single package while the media buy remains active:

{
  "account": { "account_id": "acc_acme_001" },
  "media_buy_id": "mb_12345",
  "packages": [
    {
      "package_id": "pkg_67890",
      "canceled": true,
      "cancellation_reason": "Underperforming — reallocating budget"
    }
  ]
}

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)

❌ Cannot update:

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)

❌ Cannot update (schema-enforced via not constraint on package-update.json):

Package ID
Product ID
Pricing option ID
Format selectors: format_ids, format_option_refs, format_kind, and params (creatives must match existing formats)

⚠️ Append-only on update:

committed_metrics — sellers accept new entries (mid-flight metric additions, each with its own committed_at timestamp) but MUST reject attempts to modify or remove existing entries with validation_error (code IMMUTABLE_FIELD). Runtime enforcement; the append-only semantics aren’t expressible in the schema’s not clause.

Error Handling

Common errors and resolutions:

Error Code	Description	Resolution
`MEDIA_BUY_NOT_FOUND`	Media buy doesn’t exist	Verify `media_buy_id`; for legacy correlation use `get_media_buys` + `context.internal_campaign_id`
`PACKAGE_NOT_FOUND`	Package doesn’t exist	Verify `package_id`; for legacy package correlation use `get_media_buys` + package `context.buyer_ref`
`UPDATE_NOT_ALLOWED`	Field cannot be changed	See “What Can Be Updated” above
`BUDGET_INSUFFICIENT`	New budget below minimum	Increase budget amount
`POLICY_VIOLATION`	Update violates content policy	Review policy requirements
`INVALID_STATE`	Operation not allowed in current state (e.g., updating completed/canceled media buy)	Check campaign status via `get_media_buys`
`NOT_CANCELLABLE`	Media buy or package cannot be canceled	Check seller’s cancellation policy or contact seller
`CREATIVE_REJECTED`	Creative failed content policy review	Revise the creative per the seller’s advertising policies
`CREATIVE_DEADLINE_EXCEEDED`	Creative change submitted past the package’s `creative_deadline`	Check package `creative_deadline` before submitting creative changes
`CREATIVE_ID_EXISTS`	Creative ID already exists in library	Use a different `creative_id`, assign existing creatives via `creative_assignments`, or update via `sync_creatives`
`BUDGET_EXCEEDED`	Operation would exceed allocated budget	Reduce the amount or increase media buy total budget
`CONFLICT`	Revision mismatch — another update was applied since you last read	Re-read via `get_media_buys` and retry with current `revision`
`REQUOTE_REQUIRED`	Requested change (budget, dates, volume, targeting, or signal targeting price) falls outside the envelope the original quote was priced against	Adjust the update to fit the current quote, rediscover products/terms, add packages when `add_packages` is available, or create a separate media buy. 3.1 does not define an amendment-quote artifact for `update_media_buy`. Seller’s `error.details.envelope_field` names which fields breached.
`VALIDATION_ERROR`	Request format or business rule violation	Check error `field` and `message` for specifics

Example error response:

{
  "errors": [{
    "code": "UNSUPPORTED_FEATURE",
    "message": "Cannot change product_id for existing package",
    "field": "packages[0].product_id",
    "suggestion": "Create a new package with the desired product instead"
  }]
}

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

When approval is needed, implementation_date will be null and affected_packages contains the proposed state of each package that would be modified:

{
  "media_buy_id": "mb_12345",
  "implementation_date": null,
  "affected_packages": [
    {
      "package_id": "pkg_abc123",
      "budget": 50000,
      "status": "pending_start"
    }
  ]
}

PATCH Semantics

Only specified fields are updated - omitted fields remain unchanged:

{
  "account": { "account_id": "acc_acme_001" },
  "media_buy_id": "mb_12345",
  "packages": [{
    "package_id": "pkg_001",
    "budget": 50000
  }]
}

Array replacement: When updating arrays (like creative_assignments), provide the complete new array:

{
  "account": { "account_id": "acc_acme_001" },
  "media_buy_id": "mb_12345",
  "packages": [{
    "package_id": "pkg_001",
    "creative_assignments": [
      { "creative_id": "creative_video_v2" },
      { "creative_id": "creative_display_v2", "weight": 60 }
    ]
  }]
}

Asynchronous Operations

Updates may be asynchronous, especially with seller approval.

Response Patterns

Synchronous (completed immediately) — campaign-level update (e.g., paused: true):

{
  "media_buy_id": "mb_12345",
  "implementation_date": "2025-06-15T10:00:00Z",
  "affected_packages": []
}

Synchronous (completed immediately) — package-level update:

{
  "media_buy_id": "mb_12345",
  "implementation_date": "2025-06-15T10:00:00Z",
  "affected_packages": [
    {
      "package_id": "pkg_abc123",
      "budget": 50000,
      "status": "active"
    }
  ]
}

Asynchronous (processing):

{
  "status": "working",
  "message": "Processing update..."
}

Poll for completion or use webhooks/streaming. Manual Approval Required:

{
  "status": "submitted",
  "message": "Update requires seller approval (2-4 hours)"
}

Will take hours to days.

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

See Async Operations for protocol-specific async patterns and examples.

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 and implementation_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_date indicates when changes take effect (null if pending approval)
Inline creatives: The creatives array creates NEW creatives only. To update existing creatives, use sync_creatives. To assign existing library creatives, use creative_assignments in 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_delivery to confirm updates
Upload New Creatives: Use sync_creatives if creative assignments changed
Monitor Performance: Track impact of changes on campaign metrics
Optimize Further: Use provide_performance_feedback for 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

​Scope

​Action vocabulary and field mapping

​Action modes

​Quick Start

​Request Parameters

​Optimistic concurrency

​Reporting Webhook Object

​Package Update Object

​Response

​Success Response

​Error Response

​Common Scenarios

​Update Package Budget

​Change Campaign Dates

​Update Targeting

​Replace Creatives

​Multiple Package Updates

​Cancel a Media Buy

​Cancel a Package

​What Can Be Updated

​Campaign-Level Updates

​Package-Level Updates

​Error Handling

​Update Approval

​PATCH Semantics

​Asynchronous Operations

​Response Patterns

​Protocol-Specific Handling

​Best Practices

​Usage Notes

​Next Steps

​Learn More

Scope

Action vocabulary and field mapping

Action modes

Quick Start

Request Parameters

Optimistic concurrency

Reporting Webhook Object

Package Update Object

Response

Success Response

Error Response

Common Scenarios

Update Package Budget

Change Campaign Dates

Update Targeting

Replace Creatives

Multiple Package Updates

Cancel a Media Buy

Cancel a Package

What Can Be Updated

Campaign-Level Updates

Package-Level Updates

Error Handling

Update Approval

PATCH Semantics

Asynchronous Operations

Response Patterns

Protocol-Specific Handling

Best Practices

Usage Notes

Next Steps

Learn More