Cost associated with ‘Survivor’ event at OTC nears $10,000

OTC bought an advertising package for nearly $10,000 from KOLR 10 that included the right to hold the event, said OTC President Hal Higdon. Ads running since December promoted the auditions and the school in general.

Spring semester classes start Tuesday, and school officials hope to use the Survivor buzz as a recruiting tool. But Higdon said the advertising associated with the auditions was the impetus.

“This was a bargain for us,” Higdon said. “You couldn’t watch a program (on CBS) without seeing that “Survivor” was coming to OTC.”

Funding came from money already budgeted for commercials to promote spring enrollment, said Director of Public Relations and Communications Joel Doepker. When the school weighed the value of exposure at the event against traditional commercial advertising, officials chose the audition.

“And we’re glad to have the people,” Higdon said, noting that contestants began lining up at 3:30 yesterday afternoon.

The casting call, which runs through 4 p.m. today, is being held in Information Commons West 100 on the OTC campus, 1001 E. Chestnut Expressway.

Another “Survivor” audition held a year ago at Pairings restaurant in Nixa drew about 600 people.