Craik Jones amassed 13 nominations for work for clients including Unilever, Land Rover and Refuge, while Kitcatt Nohr garnered seven including its customer acquisition work for Logitech.
Several agencies achieved five or six nominations, including Partners Andrews Aldridge, 20:20 London, Story, Harrison Troughton Wunderman and Draft London/Draft FCB London.
Charity campaigns feature strongly in the list of finalists, with Oxfam securing several nominations for its in-house marketing department and for its work from Interpublic agency Draft.
Last year's Grand Prix winner, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, was among the finalists, as were other charities such as Refuge, NSPCC, National Autistic Society and National Phobics Society.
Two new categories introduced this year, online advertising and digital direct campaign, attracted a high level of interest according to the DMA.
The finalists and winners were selected over three days of judging with more than 130 judges participating.
The chairman of the judging panel, Sir Keith Mills, said: "The rigorous judging procedure combined with exacting entry criteria mean anybody shortlisted for an award should be incredibly proud of their achievements."
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