The slowing economy might curtail consumer spending. But reduced spending itself can be inhibited if digital marketers have anything to do with it.

Target marketing company ICOM says its recent survey shows that U.S. shoppers are more likely to use coupons now that a recession is coming. Or, now that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke admits there’s a recession coming even though everyone else already thought as much.

ICOM’s questionnaire showed that 67 percent of respondents will be “much” or “somewhat” more likely to use coupons during an economic downturn. More importantly, digital coupons—as opposed to paper—are going to be big in the newly thrifty America.

Fifty-eight percent of consumers surveyed by ICOM said their coupon use would increase if they could download a coupon from the Internet and have it automatically connected to an “electronically swiped frequent shopper card.” In that vein, I’m thinking that ICOM’s revelations also bolster the potential of mobile coupons.

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