The Stream Dries Up - Ads.com Shuts Down.

Sadly, the free ads.com has closed its doors to their collection of streaming RealAudio films. A notice on their page states: "Unfortunately, we weren't able to raise the funding necessary to continue providing the service."

The Seattle Pi reports: "The Seattle start-up, which maintained an online database of more than 1,500 television commercials, employed 15 people and raised $5.5 million during its short run."

"Founded by former RealNetworks executive John Atcheson, Ads.com planned to make money by charging corporations to list their Web sites next to the commercials and by reselling consumer information."

So how does ad-rag.com survive when millions of dollars can't keep other sites like ads.com afloat? Luckily, it ain't run by venture capitalists, suits, boards or nervous shareholders. It's a site created by a genuine adgrunt, and maintained, augmented and championed by her and her motley band of like-minded souls. It's not a profit thing (good thing there), but rather a labour of love - a love of good advertising, an equally strong love of deriding bad advertising, and the pure, unadulterated love of all the things, big and small, that help to make the creative ad biz the damn coolest game around. It's editorial, educational, often irreverential, and downright, unabashedly commercial, only in a good way.

Here's a few other nifty things that make this particular site a tad bit different:

Adland has more than 5000 commercials. And it's growing most every night.
Adland believes in video-on-demand over steaming, err, streaming media.
Adland doesn't give away your personal information. And never will.
Adland receives no funding, and no corporate meddling. It's pure indie bliss.
Adland is not only a resource, but also a community - an adland for adgrunts.
Adland is still alive and kicking. And chock-full of commercial goodness.

Adland is all that and more for a P*yPal donation of only two bucks a month. Two measly bucks. That's less than what you'd pay for a cheap pair of underwear. Not a bad deal, and besides, your mother warned you about wearing cheap underwear, didn't she?

For those of you who insist on buying sub-par underpants, there are a few other sites still out there besides the ad-rag.com commercial archive that offer commercials for online viewing. Some free. Some not. Regardless, options are good.

Here's a few VC/ banner-ad and/or publisher backed sites we know that carry commercials:

If you know of any others this would be a good place to comment [only logged in adgrunts can comment ya'know.]

Resume.se the online sibling of the swedish trade press has 350 Realaudio movies in their database.

Creative Club that has more than 1.5 million ads in their archives, in all media. price - depends.

Commercial Closet is undeniably the worlds largest collection of gay advertising.

The night of the adeater's site is still going strong, boasts worldwide ad collection with a french twist. QT/Varies

Adcritic.com has been given a blood transfusion by Crain Communications and doubles up with Creativity for 70 $ - Quicktime.

Shots.net still picks the best and let you sample a few on their site which also carries fresh adgrunt news from all corners. Quicktime.

ifilm streaming media - large collection spans show previews as well.

Anyone else?