Overview

Complete reference for all AdCP Media Buy tasks with response times, schemas, and workflow context.

Overview

Complete reference for all AdCP Media Buy tasks. Each task is designed for AI agents to automate specific parts of the advertising workflow.

All Tasks Overview

Task	Purpose	Response Time	Phase
get_products	Discover inventory using natural language briefs	~60s	Discovery
create_media_buy	Create campaigns from selected products	Minutes-Days	Media Buys
update_media_buy	Modify campaign settings and budgets	Minutes-Days	Media Buys
list_creative_formats	View supported creative specifications	~1s	Capability
list_authorized_properties	See available publisher properties	~1s	Capability
sync_creatives	Upload and manage creative assets	Minutes-Days	Creatives
list_creatives	Query creative library with filtering	~1s	Creatives
get_media_buy_delivery	Retrieve performance and delivery data	~60s	Reporting

Response Time Categories

AdCP tasks fall into four response time categories:

🟢 Instant (~1 second)

Simple database lookups

• list_creative_formats - Format specifications
• list_authorized_properties - Available properties
• list_creatives - Creative library queries

🟡 Processing (~60 seconds)

AI/LLM inference with backend systems

• get_products - Natural language product discovery
• get_media_buy_delivery - Performance data aggregation

🟠 Asynchronous (Minutes to Days)

Complex operations with potential human approval

• create_media_buy - Campaign creation and validation
• update_media_buy - Campaign modifications
• sync_creatives - Creative asset processing

Task Categories by Workflow

Discovery & Planning

Start here to understand what’s available and plan your campaign.

• get_products - The core discovery task using natural language briefs
• list_creative_formats - Understand creative requirements
• list_authorized_properties - See available placements

Media Buy Management

Create and manage your advertising campaigns.

• create_media_buy - Create campaigns from discovered products
• update_media_buy - Modify budgets, targeting, and settings

Creative Management

Handle creative assets throughout their lifecycle.

• sync_creatives - Upload assets to centralized library
• list_creatives - Search and manage your creative library

Performance & Optimization

Monitor and optimize campaign performance.

• get_media_buy_delivery - Track delivery and performance metrics

Schema Reference

All tasks include JSON schema definitions for requests and responses:

• Request Schemas: /schemas/v1/media-buy/[task-name]-request.json
• Response Schemas: /schemas/v1/media-buy/[task-name]-response.json

Task Management: For tracking async operations across all AdCP domains, see Task Management in the protocols section.

Schemas are accessible at runtime via the documentation server for validation and tooling.

Common Patterns

Error Handling

All tasks follow consistent error patterns with:

• HTTP status codes for different error types
• Structured error messages with context
• Retry guidance for transient failures

Authentication

Tasks require proper authentication via:

• API keys for service-to-service calls
• Principal context for multi-tenant operations
• Permission validation for resource access

Asynchronous Operations

Long-running tasks provide:

• Immediate response with operation ID
• Status polling endpoints for progress
• Webhook notifications for completion

Getting Started

1. Start with Discovery: Use get_products to find relevant inventory
2. Understand Formats: Check list_creative_formats for requirements
3. Create Campaign: Use create_media_buy with selected products
4. Upload Creatives: Use sync_creatives for asset management
5. Monitor Performance: Track results with get_media_buy_delivery

Related Documentation

• Product Discovery - Natural language inventory discovery
• Media Buys - Campaign lifecycle management
• Creatives - Creative asset management
• Advanced Topics - Targeting, security, and architecture