Even though it's definitely in decline, the Simpsons are still a marketing juggernaut. One could even argue that the reason Fox has the Simpsons on perpetual life support is to keep the series relevant enough to milk its memorabilia teat. Without a TV show on the air, presumably millions of kids would view Homer Simpson in the same light as they view Fred Flintsone. To most kids born after 2000, Fred Flintstone is some inexplicable vitamin and cereal mascot.
Irrespective of my cynical view of the officially licensed Simpsons merch, unofficial Simpson swag will always tickle my fancy. Dating back to the plethora of Black Bart Simpson gear I rocked in the early 90s, I've been a bootleg Simpsons aficionado. Luckily for me, the Instagram page Steamed Vans has made a career creating custom Simpson vans. In addition to her beautiful sneakers, Steamed Vans also has an Etsy where she hocks other crafts based on Springfield's favorite family.
