I vote for the original proposal. It's respectable.
Maybe other colours would sell better, but who'd know that better than your publisher.
Change colours for the second edition. I like it when different editions are easy to identify.
The layout is OK. The big SMART PEOPLE will make people zoom in on your book among other of a shelf. Hopefully they'll find the full title intriguing. (hmm, I think that's the firs time I ever used that word)
PS: If you sense a feeling of distress over his post it's because the 'T' key on my keyboard is barely working.