A buy is agreed, but nothing serves until there is an approved ad to show. A creative that is the wrong size, or violates a policy, has to be caught before it reaches a page. The Creative module is how agents handle formats, assets, and approval without a person emailing files around.
Formats first
Before sending an asset, a buyer agent asks what the seller accepts with list_creative_formats. That returns the supported formats: sizes, media types, and the rules an asset must meet. It is the agentic version of reading a publisher’s spec sheet, except the buyer agent reads it and conforms automatically.
The agent then registers its assets with sync_creatives and can review what is on file with list_creatives. Syncing is not the same as approval: an asset can be on file but not yet cleared to serve.
Review and approval
- 1list_creative_formats: learn what the seller accepts.
- 2sync_creatives: register the asset against the buy.
- 3Validate: the asset is checked against the format rules.
- 4Brand safety and policy: automated checks, with a human on anything sensitive.
- 5Approve and traffic: the cleared asset is trafficked to the ad server (for example GAM) and can serve.
Watch out
Most creative failures are one of three things: a format mismatch (wrong size or type), a policy or brand-safety rejection, or a trafficking error reaching the ad server. Knowing which of the three it is, is the whole job when a creative will not serve.
Quick check
A buyer agent calls sync_creatives and the asset uploads cleanly, but it never serves. Name two checks that sit between syncing and serving.