The Simpsons their advertising. As a promotion for "The Simpsons Movie", twelve 7-Eleven stores were transformed into Kwik-E-Marts and sold "The Simpsons" related products. These included "Buzz Cola", "Krusty-O" cereal, pink doughnuts with sprinkles, and "Squishees". In 2008 consumers around the world spent $750 million on merchandise related to "The Simpsons", with half of the amount originating from the United States. By 2009, 20th Century Fox had greatly increased merchandising efforts. On April 9, 2009, the United States Postal Service unveiled a series of five 44-cent stamps featuring Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, to commemorate the show's twentieth anniversary. "The Simpsons"
The Simpsons Springfield and meet the Simpsons. "The Simpsons" has also influenced live-action shows like "Malcolm in the Middle", which featured the use of sight gags and did not use a laugh track unlike most sitcoms. "Malcolm in the Middle" debuted January 9, 2000, in the time slot after "The Simpsons". Ricky Gervais called "The Simpsons" an influence on "The Office", and fellow British sitcom "Spaced" was, according to its director Edgar Wright, "an attempt to do a live-action "The Simpsons"." In Georgia, the animated television sitcom "The Samsonadzes", launched in November 2009, has been noted for its very strong resemblance with