From the perspective of safety and most clearly communicating as a driver, I prefer the stock setup. Half-bright red lights mean "you are looking at the rear of my car." Full-bright red lights mean "you are looking at the rear of my car and I'm braking." Amber blinking lights mean "I'm about to turn." I know you can have colored bulbs behind a clear lens, but in my opinion it is not quite the same. Of the two choices you provided, the red is the better choice for clear communication/safety. But I think it just looks better too.