What we can learn from Anthro Rocks

Photo from USA Today, courtesy of Anthropologie

In early September, Phoebe Adams played a joke on her boyfriend when she tried passing off a rock as a $150 decoration from Anthropologie. Since Adams is a content creator (and therefore makes money off of views), I tend to be a bit skeptical. I do not know if his reaction was genuine or if they planned the whole thing together (I'm leaning toward the latter) but what I was more interested in was what happened next.

After the video went viral at over 11 million views, the creator made a few more with her family which eventually led to a fun response from Anthropologie where they set up a fake display of "Anthro Rocks" (pictured above). When USA Today covered the story, they interviewed Anthropologie's global chief marketing officer who commented on the series of events: "[it] proved what's possible when you move fast and lean into the unexpected with intention and heart." They even responded with their own TikTok videos which led to over 135 million impressions online, any marketing officers dream.

I found this fun little story a great example of the importance of agility - not just in marketing or the workplace, but in our lives. We need to make plans and set goals, but we also need to prepare for the unexpected; we need to have enough time, energy and resources left over to be able to pivot fast and capitalize on the moment without disrupting what's most important. I’m sure the marketing team at Anthropologie had their own plans and goals for 2025, but they didn't let that stop them from seeing the value in a free rock someone found in the garden.