I agree. I think the cover they did come up with is a little bland, but I'll take it any day over those earlier proposals.
I loved Scott Bakula's little anecdote in that video. "He didn't know this at first, but as soon as he said 'It's a century before Captain Kirk,' I was in."
I can understand his enthusiasm for the idea, I thought (and still think) a prequel series was the right way to go.