Ticketmaster has launched an iPhone app that uses an animated watermark to prove that a mobile ticket is authentic and valid. The app also lets ticket buyers resell tickets they own and transfer tickets to their new owner.

“The animated watermark is automatically activated prior to the event for those fans who have mobile tickets in their Ticketmaster account,” Live Nation Entertainment, Ticketmaster’s parent company, explained to NFC World+.

“Fans may have purchased the tickets directly from Ticketmaster, or they may have accepted tickets that were transferred to them from their Ticketmaster account.

“When fans access their tickets to scan for entry at the venue, the watermark presents an animated cheering and clapping crowd, demonstrating that the ticket is authentic, valid and in the hands of its rightful owner.

“Fans can access their mobile tickets to scan for entry at the venue via their account on the Ticketmaster app, or on the Ticketmaster mobile website.

“Fans with iPhones can add their tickets to Passbook via the Ticketmaster iOS app and the Ticketmaster mobile website.”

Some 60% of venues in the US, and all of those owned or operated by Live Nation, are equipped to handle the new ticketing system.

A new Sell/Transfer feature allows consumers to send or sell tickets directly to friends and other fans, while a Swipe to Buy function lets users simply swipe left to buy tickets.

“This app offers fans the best selection of event tickets available as it provides, for the first time on mobile, all of their available, verified ticket options,” says Mike Lane, Ticketmaster’s VP of mobile products.

“Not only does our app provide the biggest selection of event tickets, it also offers fans the richest feature set in the industry, all re-engineered to help fans easily find, buy, transfer and sell their tickets. And on the day of the event, the app allows fans’ iPhones to become the ticket.”

The app also includes personalisation alerts when relevant tickets go on sale and a ‘favourites’ feature that lets fans keep track of artists, events and venues of interest.