NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Officials say more than $450,000 was spent on a controversial state anti-DUI campaign that many called sexist.

The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/1JgMy47 ) Kendell Poole, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, said Wednesday that by the time the state ended the campaign in July, $456,923 had been spent. Poole says the projected budget for the campaign was over $725,000.

Last month, the office took down its website following criticism that the campaign had taken a sexist approach to encouraging young men not to drive under the influence.

Poole says the office never meant to offend anyone and that the campaign was intentionally designed to reach the “young male demographic.”

Poole says the campaign was completely federally funded and was part of a $2 million annual advertising budget.