I have found a simple solution to banding by content at Pearson Software Consulting:
Let's say the header is from A1 to B1, table data is from A2 to B5, the controling cell is in the A column
- Make a new column, C
- At first the first row to color make the formula =true in the C2 cell
- In the second row make the formula =IF(A3=A2,C2,NOT(C2))
- Fill the column down to the last row
- Select the data range
- Select conditional formatting, choose Use a formula... and put =$C2 as the formula