Legacy news giant CBS offered up a heartwarming tribute on social this week. Following comedian Gene Wilder’s death on Monday, they put together this piece looking at his tragically short marriage to Gilda Radner. The video, created by Christina Capatides and Jenny Earl, connected with viewers who were touched by Wilder’s passing. This is reflected in the engagement numbers, coming at 75,000 views, almost 2,000 reactions, 51 comments, and over 300 shares.Check out the touching video:

Gene Wilder’s death was a big subject on social this week and trending on all the major networks. As we’ve looked at in other recent Weekly Wochit posts, one of the best ways to draw in viewers is by focusing on subject that’s part of the current conversation.

But there’s more to crafting a piece like this than a desire to rack up viewers. Handling someone’s passing has to be done with compassion and grace, which we see here. CBS offers a particular perspective on Wilder’s passing and his marriage to Radner. It adds to the conversation and communal mourning, and is decidedly not a capitalization on loss.

With their story in mind, the creators pulled together an excellent social video. With no shortage of high-quality assets, both still and video, they load up the video with great imagery. The quick jumps keep a steady pace through the video’s 94 seconds. Jumping between still images, video clips, and animated Tweets assures that every moment is captivating.

Text overlay is put to use very effectively. It tells the story with short phrases and placement that allows the visual assets to take center stage. The included film and interview footage of Wilder and Radner compliments the text overlay and changes up the feel of the video, keeping viewers engaged.

This compassionate take on Wilder’s passing tugs on viewers’ heartstrings while also adding to the trending conversation. Combined with the quality assets and editing, you have an exemplary social video.

Check back next week for another stellar social video!