HCOPL: Public Image

HUBBARD COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex
HCO POLICY LETTER OF 3 FEBRUARY 1969¹

Remimeo

PUBLIC IMAGE

For a long while we have not had an exactly stated policy on building a public image. We have just been ourselves and done our jobs and hoped somebody would catch on. This is basically what protected us. And we should keep doing it.

But the time has come to also build a public image as an outflow publicity action.

The image is:

SCIENTOLOGISTS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CLEANING UP THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALING AND EFFECTIVELY HANDLING MENTAL HEALTH ON THE PLANET.

Note that it is dual. We will handle the first part of it first, “cleaning up the field of mental healing.” It is a dirty, inhuman, rotten field, full of graft, misappropriation, phony authoritarianism and betrayal. Because it is like this we get a backflash from it. We are the only ones in it who have clean hands and effective technology. So we have no choice but to NOISILY clean it up. That builds that much of the image. By uniting with other civic, humanitarian, and civil- and human-rights groups we can make an organized progress.

For the second part, we are already doing it to a degree. “Effectively handling mental healing on the planet” is what we are being effective in doing. But we don’t make enough public image with it. We keep building the image to Scientologists. We must study how to do it outside.

We have clean hands. We are effective. We dedicatedly do our jobs well. We must keep on doing this.

But we have to find more PUBLIC ways to SAY so.

It would also be a good policy to have two PROs. One specializes and plans to clean up the field of mental healing and grabs allied-organization support, holds committee meetings, works on crusades about it, gets close to top publishers and really scareheads the world or area about the abuses to human rights in the field.

The other PRO works to banner head the successes and the programs to effectively handle mental healing on the planet. He also gets support from allied organizations (different than human-rights attacks) like churches, and gets a crusade going for handling all the mental healing problems, not just using Scientology.

In both instances you have to go civic, go outside Scientology, get support, organize committees, plot out campaigns, work for outside finance, etc.

In handling the above public image policy, you don’t announce the policy.

You use it for a guide to keep pounding variations of the same message.

The policy is expressed in community action, well press covered, not just in statements. Committee meetings, deputations, picketing, big names, events. You figure out the story that will be written, then do it, seeing it gets covered by having the press to hand.

Make all issues hot, exciting, brutal or sensational. Go strictly circus in the type of message.

You can and must ally with real humanitarian and civil-rights groups (getting press coverage for every such contact).

You can and must approach governors, parliamentary committees, big names, big activities and get press coverage for every contact.

Scientology speakers must address groups and say the story which is to appear, not just talk about Scientology.

Plan a program, let it run awhile. The program is based on the policy which is the major target-to make that public image. When that program damps out, get a new program. It takes a while to beat a program into the public mind. They last a few months.

This is almost standard PRO work. The press prints “hard” news. Hard news is an event, a meeting, the formation of something, an attack, a campaign.

It is not a statement.

You can and must seize the attention of the press in your area, not to defend Scientology, but to hammer home the above public image by forwarding crusades and campaigns that carry the message. Then providing events of your own manufacture. Then seeing they get reported in the press, on radio and TV. Don’t defend Scientology; attack bad conditions and bad hats.

It is a dismal flub to force a parliament to consider a bill outlawing psychiatry and then provide no other event about it or press coverage. It has to be planned, targeted. You have to have other groups start talking, public meetings, a deputation to the governor.

Build up Scientology celebrities that can speak and meet the public in your area.

And in doing all this, don’t tear up the Scientology org or distract it too much or you will not have any money to do the job with. You will have lost what you’re trying to save.

PRO is an energetic, imaginative fiery-eyed function. It has to be hot-hot on getting compliance, scheduling and events.

PRO should know all about targets, dev-t, and this PL.

Scientology has been the object of enemy PRO campaigns of a professional level for years. Study if you like the stunts he pulled. How did he do it? Just by using names, connections and press. So reverse the action. Do it far better. Our end product is a sane planet. His was a dead one. So with all the theta in our lines and purpose, Scientology PRO to the PUBLIC can be ten-thousand times as effective and worthwhile.

This public image can and must be built if this planet is to survive at all.

L. RON HUBBARD
Founder

Notes