Believe it when I tell you, mama, a rock behind you. No, literally. Anthropologie is selling rocks. Or at least, that’s what TikTok wants you to believe.Â
Anthropologie, AKA the mothership of whimsical yet lavish home decor (yes, I’m looking at you, $40 pumpkin clove candle), has somehow become the stage for one of TikTok’s funniest pranks this fall with unboxings, haul videos, and the “discovery” of exclusive Anthropologie statement rocks. Imagine someone unwrapping their decorative igneous centerpiece with the same dramatic flair people reserve for PR packages. It’s peak internet.
If you haven’t seen the Anthropologie rock prank in the wild yet (or if you didn’t realize it was a prank at all), here’s what you need to know. TikTok creator Phoebe Adams might have just pulled off one of the funniest jokes of 2025: She convinced her boyfriend, Dan, that she spent $150 on a literal rock from Anthropologie. Turns out it was just some random rock from the driveway. And Dan’s reaction? Priceless. His face looked like equal parts shock, horror, and “I did not sign up for this level of nonsense.”
But Adams didn’t stop there. In a follow-up TikTok, she dragged Dan to an actual Anthropologie store, clutching her pearls at the sight of a display of “rocks back in stock” for a casual $1,000 — and even with a 50% off discount. The camera pans to Dan, already in disbelief, and the internet ate it up. Comment sections overflowed with geology puns, SpongeBob “rock” memes, and throwbacks to the legendary Elmo vs. Rocco saga. Some viewers even said, with full sincerity, that Anthropologie would 100% try to sell a decorative rock for four figures. And honestly? They’re not wrong.
Wait… Did Anthropologie really try to sell rocks for over $1,000?
Nope. The prank began with Adams’ video, which went ultra-viral (more than 11 million views and counting). From there, the floodgates opened. TikTokers everywhere started filming their own “Anthropologie rock” hauls, tricking friends, partners, and even their moms into believing they’d dropped serious cash on literal stones.
And then something iconic happened: Anthropologie noticed. Instead of pulling a corporate “we do not condone this” move, the brand leaned all the way in. They posted tongue-in-cheek videos, poked fun at themselves, and even teamed up with Adams to stage that in-store prank. It’s giving self-aware marketing, and it worked. Suddenly, the brand better known for $200 sweaters was trending not for their catalog, but for a fake rocks meme.
And kind of it checks out. This is the same store that sells velvet pumpkins no one actually needs, linen pillowcases that scream “soft girl autumn,” and frames that look like they belong in a cottagecore fairy house for the price of a small car payment. So when TikTok convinced the masses that Anthropologie was retailing rocks, the collective response was basically: Yeah, that tracks. It’s a little absurd. A bit niche. But that’s exactly why the prank landed so hard. If Anthropologie really did put a quartz chunk on a velvet pedestal and call it “Harvest Glow,” most of us would not only believe it but maybe actually hit “add to cart.”