I disagree. Sure if you look at the party that is apologizing, and whether they are going to change their ways, or whether their apology in and of itself will resonate, the answer 9 times out of 10 - at least - is no. So if you're focused on that, they're worthless. But apologies have great value in measuring peoples' perceptions of the sentiment of society. 10 years ago, could a charge of cultural appropriation have forced a response of any kind whatsoever, much less an apology? I don't think it would have. Marc Jacobs thinks he has to do damage control, that's what it means. Baby steps!