A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

This Amway promotional film "A World of Difference" dates to the early 1980s. The film follows Dick and Betty, successful Amway distributors, as they try to convince their skeptical friends, Pete and Maryanne, to join the direct sales business.

0:00 Dick and Betty Clark leave on a trip to Arizona. Opening shots highlight the difference between a harsh urban world (0:37) and a more "palatable" natural world (0:46). They pack their car, with Betty reminding their son, Brad, about chores and noting an extra case of Amway oven cleaner for a customer.
2:40 Dick and Betty drive to Phoenix to meet their old friends, Pete and Maryanne Fischer. They notice that Pete is frustrated with his job, and complaining about the lack of freedom.
4:50 Dick tells Pete how he and Betty started their Amway business part-time by selling products to friends and neighbors. He lists the diverse range of Amway products.
6:01 Betty reveals that they are earning money even while on vacation because they profit not only from their own sales but also from the sales of the distributors they sponsored. Pete is skeptical and asks about investment. Dick counters with the low start-up cost: "$75" (6:26).
7:23 While on a mule ride down the Grand Canyon, Pete asks how Amway is different from a pyramid scheme or pyramid company. Dick explains tha Amway is a selling plan, not a recruiting plan. There is no bonus for signing someone up. No initial inventory is required, and resalable inventory can be returned for a refund. Advancement is based strictly on work, not money invested.
8:16 Pete asks about the products. Dick explains that Amway manufactures all its products at its plant in Ada, Michigan, near Grand Rapids.
10:01 Maryanne expresses interest, noting she and Pete never do anything together. Betty shows a copy of the Amogram (Amway’s magazine) with pictures distributors from diverse professions (accountant, dentist, housewife).
11:14 Dick makes a dollar bet with Pete. They randomly select an Amway distributor from the phone book in a nearby town, call him, and are immediately invited over (12:08), winning the bet and impressing Pete.
12:32 The group listens to success story cassettes. Pete remains resistant, calling Amway a "get-rich-quick scheme." Dick challenges Pete, saying the time clock Pete hates has become his "security blanket," and that the old Peter is "dead" (14:32). This causes an awkward silence.
15:40 —The group decides to head north to Ada, Michigan, to visit Amway's World Headquarters.
17:56 Dick shares facts about the company's founders, Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos, who started with a single product in a basement. Now: 1,500 employees, over 200,000 distributors, 150+ products, and expansion into Canada, Australia, and Europe.
18:56 They tour the automated facilities, including the powder line (producing one 7-pound package per second), the printing department (producing sales aids and internal communications), and the computer center (handling refund checks and bonuses).
20:12 They meet co-founder Jay Van Andel, who explains that the name "Amway" is a contraction of the "American Way." He emphasizes its mission of "people helping people."
21:35 The tour moves to the product labs (evaluation, formulation, cosmetics), which stand behind Amway’s 100% money-back guarantee. They also see photos of distributors enjoying travel seminars and using company jets.
23:15 Pete skips a training seminar but encounters a distributor who reinforces the idea of happy people and no catch (23:46). Dick and Betty attend the seminar where co-founder Rich DeVos speaks about goal setting and the importance of personal effort: "Only you can make you successful... You make that wonderful difference." (25:47).
26:08 After the speech, Pete approaches Dick with questions, signaling a change in attitude. Dick observes that Pete is finally willing to listen, realizing that the "world of Amway really is different."