We present a stylised model that goes beyond traditional analyses involving crowding and exclusiveness, and addresses the status issue by asking 'Do I want to be associated with those individuals?' rather than 'Do I want to be associated with that many individuals?'. As the population cares more about status, exclusion from well-defined groups/clubs occurs: less desirable individuals are refused. Inability to exclude induces the most desirable individuals to leave, and the club collapses. Offering honorary membership to the most desirable potential members is not only a commercially optimal strategy when exclusion is not allowed, it even outperforms exclusion as a revenue maximisation strategy.