Yeah. Well, for this strategy to work, you need your product to not be thoughtless crap, which Buzz was. So that's the hard part - have good taste.
Google's m.o. is not predicated on good taste and foresight but old brute see what sticks--rows of blindsided people throwing--on the wall.
Buzz could have been a great idea IMHO if handled properly. What got them in trouble was the underhanded way in which they 'friended' people, exposing mistresses to wives.