“Weather you call it a “segulah”, a “mitzvah”, or whatever, it still comes across as offensive in many advertisements where the solicitation implies the more you give the bigger the “dividend”. ”
There is no question that the more you give, the bigger the dividend. Otherwise everyone would give pennies.
“Both the Tanach and the gemoroh explicitly endorse giving tzedokoh in the hope of a reward. Calling it “avoda zara” is outright apikorsus.”
Not every thing that is wrong is apikorsus. Calling everything apikorsus is not only incorrect; it cheapens the label for when it is appropriate.