'Sleepy Hollow' Apologizes for Promos in Wake of ISIS Beheading
by Shannon Keirnan
The firm sent an email to journalists on Tuesday afternoon, just hours after news broke that Sotloff had been killed.
It was intended to incite hype for the release of "Sleepy Hollow" on DVD, but its wording proved a terrific gaffe in light of the news.
"Heads will roll as sleepyheads celebrate Headless Day today, September 2. On this National Beheading Day, viewers everywhere can share in the fun as fans prepare for the release of 'Sleepy Hollow' Season One on Digital HD now and arriving on Blu-ray and DVD September 16."
The email encouraged the use of hashtag #HeadlessDay as part of the promotion, and included several memes making jokes about beheading (in relation to the show's premise of the Headless Horseman terrorizing a small town).
An hour after the promotion had been released, the firm, Think Jam, issued a hasty and heartfelt apology.
"We apologize for the unfortunate timing of our 'Sleepy Hollow' Headless Day announcement. The tragic news of Steven Sotloff's death hit the web as the email was being sent. Our deepest sympathies are with him and his family, and we don't take the news lightly. Had we known this information prior, we would never have released the alert and realize it's in poor taste."
Twentieth Cenutry Fox also apologized in a statement.
"Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment recognizes and apologizes for today's promotion for the Season One DVD release of 'Sleepy Hollow.' We regret the unfortunate timing of our announcement and our deepest sympathies go out to the families of all involved."
The campaign was immediately pulled.
On Wednesday, The White House confirmed the authenticity of the video which shows Sotloff being murdered by the Islamic State extremist group ISIS, the second video documenting the beheading of an American journalist in only the past few weeks.