Balloon goes up after idea for an ad fails

NikoEdwardsandGreenD-bothaliasesusedontheInternet-hadlongdreamedoftakingalookatEarthfromabove,likemanyteenagers.

InJuly,theycameupwiththeideaoflaunchingacameratiedtoaballoontotakepicturesoftheground,thencollectingtheballoonandthephotos.

TheymadetheirpreparationsandlaunchedtheballoonandcameraonasunnydayinGuangzhou,thecapitalofGuangdongprovince.TheycollectedthephotosonSept3andsharedtheminanelectronicalbumontheInternetfivedayslater.

ThefuriousteenagerpostedalongarticleonpopularinstantmessageappWeChat,accusingYoukuofstealingtheircreativework.

Thepostattractedwidespreadattention,andbyMondayithadbeenviewedmorethan100,000times,receivingmorethan50,000"likes".

Accordingtothepost,YoukustaffmemberscontactedEdwardsafterviewinghisalbumandexpressedwillingnesstocooperatewiththeteenagersonusingtheideaforanonlinecommercial.

Thetwoyoungmenprovideddetailedplanstothecompany,butaYoukuemployeetoldthemthecooperationhadfailedbecauseoffinancialproblems.

ButthenEdwardsfoundthatYoukuhadreleasedanadvertisementincooperationwithMomo,aninstantmessageapp.

ChinaDailycouldnotreachEdwardsonMonday.Heintroduceshimselfonhismicroblogasaphotographeranddesigner.

YoukusaidinastatementonSundaythatitsexecutiveshaveopenedaninvestigation.ItalsosaidthatifEdwards'claimisgenuine,thecompanywilltakeitseriously.Momoalsopublishedastatement,sayingthatithasstoppedpromotingtheadvertisementandarrangedforateamtocontactEdwards.