Overview
AAAB hosted the Dumb Planning: Strategy Workshop, a full-day, hands-on session designed to simplify strategic planning for advertising professionals. Led by Salahuddin Shahed, CEO, FCB Bitopi, the workshop focused on moving beyond surface-level execution to build strategy that creates real impact for brands.
With over two decades of experience across local and global brands, Shahed guided participants through the often-overlooked “dirty work” of planning—simplifying complexity, identifying the real problem behind the brief, and shaping ideas that are both practical and powerful.
Workshop Focus
The session challenged the notion that strategy is reserved for senior leadership and repositioned planning as a core skill for anyone involved in shaping ideas. Discussions centered on clarity over complexity, the importance of identifying the real problem behind a brief, and the role of planners in guiding creativity without overengineering it.
Who Attended
The workshop was attended by 44 entry- to mid-level client servicing executives, strategy planners, and creative professionals from both AAAB member and non-member agencies, reflecting strong interest in building strategic capability across the industry.
Impact & Takeaways
Participants left the workshop with a clearer understanding that:
- Strong strategy begins with clarity—simplifying complexity into a single, meaningful problem worth solving
- Effective planning balances logic and imagination, enabling ideas that work in real-world conditions without losing creative edge
- The most valuable planners are those who observe deeply, think critically, and guide ideas with purpose, rather than relying on jargon or templates
AAAB Leadership Presence
Members of AAAB’s Executive Committee present at the workshop included:
- Syed Ahsanul Apon, General Secretary
- M. A. Maruf, Joint Secretary
The session reinforced AAAB’s ongoing commitment to strengthening industry capability by making strategy practical, accessible, and relevant to everyday agency work.
Closing & Follow-up
The workshop concluded with a crest handover by M. A. Maruf to Salahuddin Shahed in recognition of his contribution, followed by the distribution of participation certificates to attendees. The session ended with networking among participants, allowing for continued discussion and exchange of ideas beyond the formal program.
