'"Fugly" is harsh, they may not be your cup of tea, but the brand has earned its place in the collecting community.
Minimates have been around for more than 10 years, Diamond Select/Art Asylum has produced over a thousand of them so far, and there's no end to the line in sight. At specialty stores alone, there have been 59 dedicated waves of Marvel Minimates, and a good 25 waves exclusive to Toys R Us.
For what it's worth, the images shown for solicitation are never the final product. They often come with multiple accessories and alternate parts, and they are completely interchangeable within the brand. Pick up a pack sometime, they retail for around $8.00 a 2-pack, I think you'll be surprised at how cool they actually are in-hand.