No, Anthropologie isn’t selling $1,000 rocks—it’s a prank breaking boyfriends’ brains

U.S. retailer Anthropologie got in on the “rock prank” trend by setting up a rock sale display to help its creator fool her boyfriend. The prank first went viral in mid-September after one woman made her boyfriend crash out, thinking she’d actually paid $150 for something anyone could find in the ground.

The Anthropologie rock prank terrorizes boyfriends

The Anthropologie rock prank started with a TikTok video by Phoebe Adams (@phoebeadams112), posted on Sept. 14. For the gag, she filmed herself opening a package and showing off her new rock to her utterly gagged boyfriend, Dan.

@phoebeadams112
His full on crash out at the end HAHA
♬ original sound – Phoebe Adams

“Wait, you bought this?” he gasped.

“What do you mean I ‘bought this,’ this is like the cutest rock ever,” Adams responded. “It’s gonna sit on our entryway table.”

Adams told her boyfriend that she paid $150 for that rock, on sale, of course. However, the caption explains that she really did just find it outside in the ground.

Her video now has over 11.8 million views and hundreds of imitators pulling their own Anthropologie rock prank. The TikTok hashtag #anthropologierock already has 241 posts under it belt.

One by @macymoments bonding with mom by pranking her brothers got almost as many likes as the original, totaling over 11.6 million.

@macymoments The boys were SO confused🤣 This was the funniest thing we’ve ever done literally, Jenny really sold it!!! #anthropologierock #anthropologie #prank ♬ original sound – macymoments

Anthropologie gets in on the fun

The popular retailer didn’t miss its chance to cash in on the trend. They went beyond commenting on Adams’ videos all the way to creating a mock line of decorative rocks and inviting her to bring her boyfriend to check them out.

The TikToker shared the results of the extended prank to the world on Saturday.

@phoebeadams112 Can’t wait to add to my Anthro rock collection!!! Thank you @Anthropologie #AnthroPartner ♬ original sound – Phoebe Adams

“There’s no way this is real!” said Dan as he laughed in disbelief.

“What do you mean, ‘there’s no way this is real?’” Adams asked before grabbing a rock off the display table. “Oh my gosh, this one’s so pretty.”

“It’s a rock!” Dan cried in dismay.

Anthropologie later posted its own video advertising the fake rock sale on Instagram.

There’s a real good chance that Dan is acting just as much as Adams is in these videos. Regardless, Anthropologie’s move to get in on the virality of the trend has marketing experts all hot and bothered.

@heatherofwildmedia This is why social listening is SO important. Some of the biggest marketing moments for brands in the last couple of years were not created by the brand but JOINED by the brand. Because they’re listening effectively. Think: girls car sets on fire but her Stanley cup survives, ice and all? Stanley enters the chat. You prank your boyfriend with a rock and tell him it was $150 from anthropology? They launch an in store rock collection to further the bit. These campaigns are low lift AND cost (for the size and scale of these brands), especially compared to the insane amount of impressions they garner. What do they earn? Unheard of exposure but also social currency. They’re on the inside. They’re cool. They’re IN. and that’s everything. #socialmediamarketer #socialmediastrategy #marketingcampaigns ♬ original sound – Heather- Brand Storyteller🇨🇦

“They are committing to the bit. They are doing it for the plot,” said branding TikToker @heatherofwildmedia. “For a brand of Anthro’s size and scale, the amount that this would have cost verses the amount of impressions that this has gotten them … this is massive.”

Commenters on the in-store video agree.

“Getting the actual store involved in this is top tier content,” said @generic_username_01.

“I love even the brand’s shop is joining in,” wrote @hithereitsgail, “just accept it dude.”