European Grouping of Marketing Professionals

TheEuropean Grouping of Marketing Professionals, widely namedGEPMthen renamedCEDIPAC SA, was amulti-level marketingcompany founded in the U.S. in 1988 by Jean Godzich, a former member ofAmway. In France, its headquarters were inFleury-sur-Andelle,Eureand it employed approximately 360 employees and 50,000 distributors in France.[1]In 1995, its activities ended and it changed its name after many complaints by former members who presented it as acult, as well as two parliamentary reports. The GEPM, also called "the Business" by Godzich's followers, proposed a series of various daily life products, and seminars, rallies, travels, etc., and asked to recruit new members by canvassing, promising the wealth to the followers. The doctrine developed by Godzich mixed marketing techniques, biblical verses, andesotericism.[citation needed]Several statuses could be reached by members, including 'ambassador', 'excellency', and 'diamond'.[2] In 1995, the GEPM foundedLe Groupement, a French professional team of cycling in 1995.Luc Leblanc,Ronan Pensec,Pascal Lino, andGraeme Obreewere among its adherents.[3]