Howard Brown, the face of Halifax's iconic advertising campaigns, has launched a furious rant at his former bosses as the Halifax brand prepares to vanish from British high streets after 173 years. Owner Lloyds Banking Group announced that Halifax branches will be rebranded to Lloyds throughout 2027, halting new account openings.
From Branch Worker to Household Name
Brown, now 59, was working at a West Midlands Halifax branch in 2000 when he auditioned for a TV ad on a whim. He became an overnight sensation on Boxing Day 2000, dancing to a parody of Tom Jones' 'Sexbomb' in a viral advert that predated YouTube and TikTok. His face soon became one of the most recognisable in Britain.
Speaking previously with the Mirror, Brown recalled the moment he realised his fame: 'I went out as normal for lunch and sat in this little pub. I was having a coffee, and I saw a young lady come in with a pram. She did a double-take, looked at me, looked away, and then slowly reversed and stopped in front of my table. Then she said: “You’re him”. I realised at that stage that people had already started to recognise me. Everywhere I went, people would start to sing to me.'
Continued Fame and Transition
Brown's follow-up ads, featuring the catchphrase 'Who gives you extra!' became cultural staples. He even appeared as himself in the 2003 Christmas special of The Office. When he tried returning to branch work in February 2001, 400 people waited outside, forcing closure after 20 minutes.
Despite his fame, Brown said: 'I thought, “I need to continue to be me and keep my feet firmly on the ground”. You don’t let it change you.' After the 2009 financial crisis, Halifax scaled back big-budget ads. Brown moved to the bank's PR team before leaving in 2011.
Post-Halifax Career and Controversy
After leaving, Brown remained in demand, receiving offers from RBS and Ulster Bank. He tried musical theatre, starring as Adam Pontipee in 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers', and appeared in a Hotels.com ad in 2017 and on Channel 4's First Dates. More recently, he partnered with savings app Nude to help young people buy homes without parental help.
In 2022, Brown made headlines for blasting Halifax's pronoun policy on staff name badges. 'I think it’s disgraceful,' he said. 'It’s a service industry – you should leave politics to the politicians. They’ve got this one wrong.' He released a song titled 'What Happened?' criticising the initiative, with lyrics such as 'Why do you hector me with your identity?' and 'Is there a new pronoun every day?' The track was widely labelled as cringe upon its 2023 release.
Halifax defended its policy. A spokesperson told Pink News: 'We want to create a safe and accepting environment that opens the conversation around gender identity. We care about our customers’ and colleagues’ individual preferences, so, for us, it’s a very simple solution to accidental misgendering.'
Halifax's End on the High Street
Lloyds Banking Group confirmed that the Halifax brand will cease new account openings, with branches rebranding to Lloyds in 2027. The move ends 173 years of Halifax presence on UK high streets, shocking many customers who remember Brown's era of advertising dominance.
