Who would have thought a simple rock could shake the internet into a buzz of confusion? The Anthropologie Rock trend started as a funny prank on TikTok, claiming that a simple rock was being sold at the common lifestyle brand Anthropologie, the twist: it was hundreds of dollars. But the trend reveals truths about style, branding and what makes something truly worth the price. It cemented how people see luxury in a new way: where the tag represents the value and not the item.
A woman by the name of Phoebe Adams brought home an 150 dollar stone that she claimed was from Anthropologie and her husband was in shock, to say the least. He was rightfully outraged and was confused why his wife wasted money on a simple rock with no features, accessories or designs. This was the beginning of a trending TikTok prank: the Anthropologie Rock.
The trend skyrocketed. So many creators made their own versions, such as unboxing rocks, reacting and dragging others into the funny meme. Even Anthropologie leaned into it, making social media posts referencing rock collections. They staged mock displays and overall played along with the humor to help bring attention to the store.
“The Anthropologie rock trend shows how something natural can become a symbol of style and calm in our busy lives,” junior Daniel Arrechavala said.
Anthropologie is a retail store that sells women’s clothing, beauty products, accessories and home decor. It is known for its artistic and vintage-inspired style. This is also a store known to be quite expensive, considering the high quality materials that goes into making their products and the brand of high fashion they sell.
Anthropologie is known for its premium decor items, so the idea of paying a few hundred items for something decorative is not totally absurd for this type of store. The dramatic price tags amplified the absurdity of the prank and the bystander’s disbelief and comedic meltdown made the joke even funnier. The trend was able to resonate with large audiences and spread because people love seeing exaggerated reactions and the fact that the meme does not require anything more then just a simple rock.
“The trend shows how the internet can make anything popular. I think people find it funny to joke about expensive things, but they still enjoy them. To me, the Anthropologie rock is a mix of humor and style that seemed to catch the internet’s attention, ” sophomore Gabrielle Boute said.
It is comedic how much people would pay for some goods just because of a luxury brand or popular fad. This trend highlights how ridiculous the expense of certain on-brand products are in our consumerist society. For example, the brand Golden Goose sells over 800 dollar shoes. The shoes are intentionally dirty and their quality nowhere justifies the price of hundreds of dollars. There are many shoes that are available for under 100 that can be stylish and put to the same use, the only difference is the branding on the side.
“Social media can make even the most random things go viral. It shows how fast people can turn a joke into something big. It also shows how much people enjoy funny and creative ideas,” sophomore Elisa Duarte said.
The Anthropologie rock trend did not just make people laugh, it also showed how social media can influence shopping habits. Many viewers began researching on Anthropologie’s website to see if the rock was real. Some even bought small decorative stones or crystals as a joke. This brought a lot of attention to the brand, even from people who have never shopped there. This short viral trend acted as free advertisement because of how quickly the videos spread.
Consumers also realized how brands like Anthropologie make normal objects seem fancy just by how they are presented. For example, a plain rock, when placed on a gold stand or wrapped in nice packaging, suddenly looks like an expensive piece of art, proving that presentation and branding have a true effect.
“The rock trend shows how people can be influenced by what they see online. It’s not just about the item, but how it’s shown. I think it makes people realize how powerful trends can be,” sophomore Sophie Space said.
All in all, the Anthropologie rock trend shows how something small and simple can capture the internet’s attention. It started as a silly little prank and turned into a viral trend. This meme gave Anthropologie free advertising and overall gave viewers a good laugh, while also uncovering the true power of a company’s brand.
