I was at a dinner with my parents' friends when I was about 5 or 6, and one of the older kids was playing Pokemon Blue on their Game Boy Color. I was watching her play all night and afterwards I asked my parents for a GBC and Pokemon Red. :P
That was the first time I actually saw the game (besides this commercial)
I'm pretty sure I watched the anime before I knew about the game though, but I don't really remember which I got into first.
I've never seen that commercial before... That is quite disturbing.