Influence is a 2020 Canadian/South African documentary film written and directed by Diana Neille and Richard Poplak.
This film focuses on the infamous Lord Tim Bell and his associates, known for their controversial geopolitical spin-doctoring.
He designed campaigns for unpopular politicians, dictators, disgraced companies, and celebrities the same way he put together product branding—by being concise and brutal.
In 1987 he cofounded Bell Pottinger, which quickly became one of the most influential reputation-management companies in the world—until one of those campaigns incited racial division in South Africa and ruined BP’s reputation to a degree beyond spinning.
Its cause of death was shrewdly described by The New York Times as “acute embarrassment.” Influence has a 78% rating on online review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.