VACANTSHOPS MAY never be the same again. Technology developed by Scottish firm Motomedia can transform the windowsofanemptyshopintoa "living, talking advert".

Shoppers stopped in their tracks when the technology was used at the London launch of American band LCD Soundsystem's album Sound Of Silver recently. Not only were images of the band projected on to the glass panes, the entire window was transformed into a loudspeaker. "Sound was the keyshowstopper,"saidMotomedia founder Kenny MacLean. "People just couldn't work out where it was coming from."

Come June 14, Glasgow shoppers are to get the same treatment. Virgin has chosen the city as one of five locations across the UK where the technology will be used to promote the new Chemical Brothers album.

MacLean, who worked in retail for 21 years, says his idea was born from frustration when he was walking in Glasgow's West End. He spotted numerousbillpostingsitesisverygood locations that were just too expensive. But he also noticed that in the same area there were empty business units that could be put to good use.

MacLean said: "Motomedia does not remove the importance of leasing an empty unit, but provides an opportunity to generate additional revenue and give new life to an otherwise deserted unit."

Although the company started trading only at the beginning of the year, it has attracted interest from some big players. Adobe, Baileys Irish Cream and CaptainMorganhaveallasked Motomedia for an ad pitch - Adobe for thelaunchofitsCreativeSuite3 softwarepackageandBaileysfora campaign in Barcelona.

Crucially, state-of-the-art technology incorporated into the system allows advertisers to measure how many people stop to look at the ads and how long they hang around for. For example, when Motomedia promoted American rap star Mims in London's Shepherd's Bush, the firm calculated that 200,000 people per week were seeing the ad.

"It's a key strength that I think like a retailer, not like a marketer," says MacLean. "It's all about helping sales."

Motomedia also has the capacity to recognise whether the viewer is male or female and can adjust the content according to gender. "It's very, very spooky," MacLean admits.

The cost of a Motomedia ad depends on the size of the client's wallet, but location is a key factor. MacLean said: "We have a broad price band that can range from £25,000 for a month to £2000 for a week. The key is to make it affordable for the client."

Motomedia is best suited to advertisingmediaproducts,accordingto MacLean. An added bonus for passers-by who stopped to look at the LCD Soundsystem display was that they were immediately offered a free Bluetoothdownloadviatheirmobile phones. In the first week alone, 900 downloads were made.

The firm is already planning a modified version of the idea called Street Level TV. This will beam TV ads on to shop windows. The X Factor has already signed up to have clips shown advertising the programme.

"This version is more accessible as our clients don't have to reinvent the wheel from a content point of view," MacLean said.

But users beware: EMI and Mims may have had great success with Motomedia, but Scottish Labour did not perhaps use the technology with quite so much aplomb.

During the campaign for the May 3 electionsScottishLabouruseda specially adapted BMW car with multicoloured flashing panels to spread their message and wow younger voters on nights out.

Did it work? The results were "mixed," MacLean said diplomatically.

"I don't think the content was ideal. They were having a go at Alex Salmond and I don't think that did them any favours ... but at least the technology was well received."