Apple Remote new from the box, does not work
It is charged, I charged it overnight. The little led indicator at the top never even lights up. (MN873ll/A)
There is no red indicator at the top. There is an IR led behind that for volume control signals — not in the visible range. The navigation control signals go by bluetooth, i.e. radio, not light.
Please pair the remote as indicated in the related article, using the Back button and Volume Up button.