diff --git a/app/controllers/admin/appearances_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admin/appearances_controller.rb
index 92df1c8dff0..dd0b38970bd 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admin/appearances_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admin/appearances_controller.rb
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ class Admin::AppearancesController < Admin::ApplicationController
   def show
   end
 
-  def preview
-    render 'preview', layout: 'devise'
+  def preview_sign_in
+    render 'preview_sign_in', layout: 'devise'
   end
 
   def create
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class Admin::AppearancesController < Admin::ApplicationController
   def appearance_params
     params.require(:appearance).permit(
       :title, :description, :logo, :logo_cache, :header_logo, :header_logo_cache,
-      :updated_by
+      :new_project_guidelines, :updated_by
     )
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/helpers/appearances_helper.rb b/app/helpers/appearances_helper.rb
index df590cf47c8..c037de33c22 100644
--- a/app/helpers/appearances_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/appearances_helper.rb
@@ -1,30 +1,26 @@
 module AppearancesHelper
   def brand_title
-    if brand_item && brand_item.title
-      brand_item.title
-    else
-      'GitLab Community Edition'
-    end
+    brand_item&.title.presence || 'GitLab Community Edition'
   end
 
   def brand_image
-    if brand_item.logo?
-      image_tag brand_item.logo
-    else
-      nil
-    end
+    image_tag(brand_item.logo) if brand_item&.logo?
   end
 
   def brand_text
     markdown_field(brand_item, :description)
   end
 
+  def brand_new_project_guidelines
+    markdown_field(brand_item, :new_project_guidelines)
+  end
+
   def brand_item
     @appearance ||= Appearance.current
   end
 
   def brand_header_logo
-    if brand_item && brand_item.header_logo?
+    if brand_item&.header_logo?
       image_tag brand_item.header_logo
     else
       render 'shared/logo.svg'
@@ -33,7 +29,7 @@ module AppearancesHelper
 
   # Skip the 'GitLab' type logo when custom brand logo is set
   def brand_header_logo_type
-    unless brand_item && brand_item.header_logo?
+    unless brand_item&.header_logo?
       render 'shared/logo_type.svg'
     end
   end
diff --git a/app/models/appearance.rb b/app/models/appearance.rb
index ff15689ecac..76cfe28742a 100644
--- a/app/models/appearance.rb
+++ b/app/models/appearance.rb
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@ class Appearance < ActiveRecord::Base
   include CacheMarkdownField
 
   cache_markdown_field :description
+  cache_markdown_field :new_project_guidelines
 
-  validates :title,       presence: true
-  validates :description, presence: true
   validates :logo,        file_size: { maximum: 1.megabyte }
   validates :header_logo, file_size: { maximum: 1.megabyte }
 
diff --git a/app/views/admin/appearances/_form.html.haml b/app/views/admin/appearances/_form.html.haml
index 4a2238fe277..15bda97c3b5 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/appearances/_form.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/admin/appearances/_form.html.haml
@@ -1,6 +1,23 @@
 = form_for @appearance, url: admin_appearances_path, html: { class: 'form-horizontal'} do |f|
   = form_errors(@appearance)
 
+  %fieldset.app_logo
+    %legend
+      Navigation bar:
+  .form-group
+    = f.label :header_logo, 'Header logo', class: 'control-label'
+    .col-sm-10
+      - if @appearance.header_logo?
+        = image_tag @appearance.header_logo_url, class: 'appearance-light-logo-preview'
+        - if @appearance.persisted?
+          %br
+          = link_to 'Remove header logo', header_logos_admin_appearances_path, data: { confirm: "Header logo will be removed. Are you sure?"}, method: :delete, class: "btn btn-remove btn-sm remove-logo"
+        %hr
+      = f.hidden_field :header_logo_cache
+      = f.file_field :header_logo, class: ""
+      .hint
+        Maximum file size is 1MB. Pages are optimized for a 28px tall header logo
+
   %fieldset.sign-in
     %legend
       Sign in/Sign up pages:
@@ -28,27 +45,22 @@
       .hint
         Maximum file size is 1MB. Pages are optimized for a 640x360 px logo.
 
-  %fieldset.app_logo
+  %fieldset
     %legend
-      Navigation bar:
+      New project pages:
   .form-group
-    = f.label :header_logo, 'Header logo', class: 'control-label'
+    = f.label :new_project_guidelines, class: 'control-label'
     .col-sm-10
-      - if @appearance.header_logo?
-        = image_tag @appearance.header_logo_url, class: 'appearance-light-logo-preview'
-        - if @appearance.persisted?
-          %br
-          = link_to 'Remove header logo', header_logos_admin_appearances_path, data: { confirm: "Header logo will be removed. Are you sure?"}, method: :delete, class: "btn btn-remove btn-sm remove-logo"
-        %hr
-      = f.hidden_field :header_logo_cache
-      = f.file_field :header_logo, class: ""
+      = f.text_area :new_project_guidelines, class: "form-control", rows: 10
       .hint
-        Maximum file size is 1MB. Pages are optimized for a 28px tall header logo
+        Guidelines parsed with #{link_to "GitLab Flavored Markdown", help_page_path('user/markdown'), target: '_blank'}.
 
   .form-actions
     = f.submit 'Save', class: 'btn btn-save append-right-10'
     - if @appearance.persisted?
-      = link_to 'Preview last save', preview_admin_appearances_path, class: 'btn', target: '_blank', rel: 'noopener noreferrer'
+      Preview last save:
+      = link_to 'Sign-in page', preview_sign_in_admin_appearances_path, class: 'btn', target: '_blank', rel: 'noopener noreferrer'
+      = link_to 'New project page', new_project_path, class: 'btn', target: '_blank', rel: 'noopener noreferrer'
 
     - if @appearance.updated_at
       %span.pull-right
diff --git a/app/views/admin/appearances/preview.html.haml b/app/views/admin/appearances/preview_sign_in.html.haml
similarity index 100%
rename from app/views/admin/appearances/preview.html.haml
rename to app/views/admin/appearances/preview_sign_in.html.haml
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/devise.html.haml b/app/views/layouts/devise.html.haml
index 97016d28535..691d2528022 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/devise.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/layouts/devise.html.haml
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
             .col-sm-7.brand-holder.pull-left
               %h1
                 = brand_title
-              - if brand_item
                 = brand_image
+              - if brand_item&.description?
                 = brand_text
               - else
                 %h3 Open source software to collaborate on code
diff --git a/app/views/projects/new.html.haml b/app/views/projects/new.html.haml
index 0a7880ce4cd..cad7c2e83db 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/new.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/projects/new.html.haml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
         A project is where you house your files (repository), plan your work (issues), and publish your documentation (wiki), #{link_to 'among other things', help_page_path("user/project/index.md", anchor: "projects-features"), target: '_blank'}.
       %p
         All features are enabled when you create a project, but you can disable the ones you don’t need in the project settings.
+      = brand_new_project_guidelines
     .col-lg-9.js-toggle-container
       %ul.nav-links.gitlab-tabs{ role: 'tablist' }
         %li.active{ role: 'presentation' }
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/feature-custom-text-for-new-projects.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/feature-custom-text-for-new-projects.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..905d76dab33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/feature-custom-text-for-new-projects.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Add custom brand text on new project pages
+merge_request: 15541
+author: Markus Koller
+type: changed
diff --git a/config/routes/admin.rb b/config/routes/admin.rb
index c0748231813..e22fb440abc 100644
--- a/config/routes/admin.rb
+++ b/config/routes/admin.rb
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ namespace :admin do
 
   resource :appearances, only: [:show, :create, :update], path: 'appearance' do
     member do
-      get :preview
+      get :preview_sign_in
       delete :logo
       delete :header_logos
     end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20171122131600_add_new_project_guidelines_to_appearances.rb b/db/migrate/20171122131600_add_new_project_guidelines_to_appearances.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f141c442d97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20171122131600_add_new_project_guidelines_to_appearances.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+class AddNewProjectGuidelinesToAppearances < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  include Gitlab::Database::MigrationHelpers
+
+  DOWNTIME = false
+
+  def change
+    change_table :appearances do |t|
+      t.text :new_project_guidelines
+      t.text :new_project_guidelines_html
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index effb2604af2..ad4c7f690d1 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 20171124150326) do
     t.datetime_with_timezone "updated_at", null: false
     t.text "description_html"
     t.integer "cached_markdown_version"
+    t.text "new_project_guidelines"
+    t.text "new_project_guidelines_html"
   end
 
   create_table "application_settings", force: :cascade do |t|
diff --git a/doc/README.md b/doc/README.md
index d4119d35162..95cb9683a15 100644
--- a/doc/README.md
+++ b/doc/README.md
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ have access to GitLab administration tools and settings.
 - [Issue closing pattern](administration/issue_closing_pattern.md): Customize how to close an issue from commit messages.
 - [Libravatar](customization/libravatar.md): Use Libravatar instead of Gravatar for user avatars.
 - [Welcome message](customization/welcome_message.md): Add a custom welcome message to the sign-in page.
+- [New project page](customization/new_project_page.md): Customize the new project page.
 
 ### Admin tools
 
diff --git a/doc/customization/new_project_page.md b/doc/customization/new_project_page.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..148bf9512c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/customization/new_project_page.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Customizing the new project page
+
+It is possible to add a markdown-formatted message to your GitLab
+new project page.
+
+By default, the new project page shows a sidebar with general information:
+
+![](new_project_page/default_new_project_page.png)
+
+## Changing the appearance of the new project page
+
+Navigate to the **Admin** area and go to the **Appearance** page.
+
+Fill in your project guidelines:
+
+![](new_project_page/appearance_settings.png)
+
+After saving the page, your new project page will show the guidelines in the sidebar, below the general information:
+
+![](new_project_page/custom_new_project_page.png)
diff --git a/doc/customization/new_project_page/appearance_settings.png b/doc/customization/new_project_page/appearance_settings.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..08eea684e14
Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/customization/new_project_page/appearance_settings.png differ
diff --git a/doc/customization/new_project_page/custom_new_project_page.png b/doc/customization/new_project_page/custom_new_project_page.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..662c715f193
Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/customization/new_project_page/custom_new_project_page.png differ
diff --git a/doc/customization/new_project_page/default_new_project_page.png b/doc/customization/new_project_page/default_new_project_page.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4a0bcf09903
Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/customization/new_project_page/default_new_project_page.png differ
diff --git a/spec/factories/appearances.rb b/spec/factories/appearances.rb
index cf2a2b76bcb..860973024c9 100644
--- a/spec/factories/appearances.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/appearances.rb
@@ -4,5 +4,6 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :appearance do
     title       "MepMep"
     description "This is my Community Edition instance"
+    new_project_guidelines "Custom project guidelines"
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/features/admin/admin_appearance_spec.rb b/spec/features/admin/admin_appearance_spec.rb
index 5f3a37c1dcc..d91dcf76191 100644
--- a/spec/features/admin/admin_appearance_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/admin/admin_appearance_spec.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ feature 'Admin Appearance' do
 
     fill_in 'appearance_title', with: 'MyCompany'
     fill_in 'appearance_description', with: 'dev server'
+    fill_in 'appearance_new_project_guidelines', with: 'Custom project guidelines'
     click_button 'Save'
 
     expect(current_path).to eq admin_appearances_path
@@ -16,21 +17,39 @@ feature 'Admin Appearance' do
 
     expect(page).to have_field('appearance_title', with: 'MyCompany')
     expect(page).to have_field('appearance_description', with: 'dev server')
+    expect(page).to have_field('appearance_new_project_guidelines', with: 'Custom project guidelines')
     expect(page).to have_content 'Last edit'
   end
 
-  scenario 'Preview appearance' do
+  scenario 'Preview sign-in page appearance' do
     sign_in(create(:admin))
 
     visit admin_appearances_path
-    click_link "Preview"
+    click_link "Sign-in page"
 
-    expect_page_has_custom_appearance(appearance)
+    expect_custom_sign_in_appearance(appearance)
+  end
+
+  scenario 'Preview new project page appearance' do
+    sign_in(create(:admin))
+
+    visit admin_appearances_path
+    click_link "New project page"
+
+    expect_custom_new_project_appearance(appearance)
   end
 
   scenario 'Custom sign-in page' do
     visit new_user_session_path
-    expect_page_has_custom_appearance(appearance)
+
+    expect_custom_sign_in_appearance(appearance)
+  end
+
+  scenario 'Custom new project page' do
+    sign_in create(:user)
+    visit new_project_path
+
+    expect_custom_new_project_appearance(appearance)
   end
 
   scenario 'Appearance logo' do
@@ -57,11 +76,15 @@ feature 'Admin Appearance' do
     expect(page).not_to have_css(header_logo_selector)
   end
 
-  def expect_page_has_custom_appearance(appearance)
+  def expect_custom_sign_in_appearance(appearance)
     expect(page).to have_content appearance.title
     expect(page).to have_content appearance.description
   end
 
+  def expect_custom_new_project_appearance(appearance)
+    expect(page).to have_content appearance.new_project_guidelines
+  end
+
   def logo_selector
     '//img[data-src^="/uploads/-/system/appearance/logo"]'
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/appearance_spec.rb b/spec/models/appearance_spec.rb
index 49f44525b29..56b5d616284 100644
--- a/spec/models/appearance_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/appearance_spec.rb
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ describe Appearance do
 
   it { is_expected.to be_valid }
 
-  it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:title) }
-  it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:description) }
-
   it { is_expected.to have_many(:uploads).dependent(:destroy) }
 
   describe '.current', :use_clean_rails_memory_store_caching do