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Bell Pottinger.

Two words, one PR firm, and untold damage done to South Africa and its people.

Thankfully, Bell Pottinger went into administration in September 2017, and is now dead and buried.

To fully understand how the firm aided former president Jacob Zuma and the Guptas to capture South Africa and decimate our economy, Influence is a great place to start.

The doccie came out last year, and was nominated as a finalist in the Grand Jury Prize category at the Sundance Film Festival.

From Influence’s website:

There’s an industry that few people understand, but it understands you. It understands your behaviour, your impulses and your desires. Brands, corporations and governments pay billions every year for that information.

INFLUENCE charts the recent advancements in weaponized communication by investigating the rise and fall of the world’s most notorious public relations and reputation management firm: the British multinational, Bell Pottinger.

Directed by Diana Neille and Richard Poplak (of The Daily Maverick, and famous for his stinging takedowns), Influence tells the story of Lord Bell’s career, including his involvement with “some of the most appalling dictators and scoundrels in recent world history”.

To jog your memory:

For a limited time, to help arm citizens with the information they need to better understand this industry, the film is free to watch for people who live in the United Kingdom and the African continent.

Click the image below, and you will be redirected to watch Influence:

You can also click here.

Infuriating, as well as necessary, viewing.

[source:influence]